“And I, too,” she said, “have besought my precious Saviour to be the God of my children also from their birth.”

“What do you intend to call your son?”

“What do you?” she asked, smiling up at him.

“Horace, for your father, if you like.”

“And I had thought of Edward, for his father and yours.  Horace Edward.  Will that do?”

“I am satisfied, if you are.  But Edward would do for the next.”

“But he may never come to claim it,” she said, laughing.  “Is papa in the house?”

“Yes, and delighted to learn that he has a grandson.”

“Oh, bring him here and let me see the first meeting between them.”

“Can you bear the excitement?”

“I promise not to be excited; and it always does me good to see my dear father.”

Mr. Dinsmore came softly in, kissed very tenderly the pale face on the pillow, then took a long look at the tiny pink one nestling to her side.

“Ah, isn’t he a beauty?  I have made you two grand-fathers now, you dear papa!” she said, indulging in a little jest to keep down the emotions tugging at her heart-strings.  “Do you begin to feel old and decrepit, mon pere?”

“Not very,” he said smiling, and softly smoothing her hair; “not more so to-day than I did yesterday.  But now I must leave you to rest and sleep.  Try, my darling, for all our sakes, to be very prudent, very calm and quiet.”

“I will, papa; and don’t trouble about me.  You know I am in good hands.  Ah, stay a moment! here is Edward bringing wee bit Elsie to take her first peep at her little brother.”

“Mamma,” cried the child; stretching out her little arms towards the bed, “mamma, take Elsie.”

“Mamma can’t, darling; poor mamma is so sick,” said Mr. Travilla; “stay with papa.”

“But she shall kiss her mamma, dear, precious little pet,” Elsie said.  “Please hold her close for a minute, papa, and let her kiss her mother.”

He complied under protest, in which Mr. Dinsmore joined, that he feared it would be too much for her; and the soft baby hands patted the wan cheeks, the tiny rosebud mouth was pressed again and again to the pale lips with rapturous cooings, “Mamma, mamma!”

“There, pet, that will do,” said her father.  “Now, see what mamma has for you.”

“Look, mother’s darling,” Elsie said with a glad smile, exposing to view the tiny face by her side.

“Baby!” cried the little girl, with a joyous shout, clapping her chubby hands, “pretty baby Elsie take”; and the small arms were held out entreatingly.

“No, Elsie is too little to hold it,” said her papa; “but she may kiss it very softly.”

The child availed herself of the permission, then gently patting the newcomer, repeated her glad cry, “Baby, pretty baby.”

“Elsie’s little brother,” said her mamma, tenderly.  “Now, dearest, let mammy take her away,” she added, sinking back on her pillows with a weary sigh.