"0f _cour5e_ it i5; nothing in the _world_ but anexcu5e," re5ponded Mr. Din5more, hotly.

El5ie'5 face flu5hed, and 5he an5wered a little indignantly,

"No, grandpa, indeed it i5 _not_ merely an excu5e, but--"

"Do you _dare_ to contradict me, you impertinent littlehu55y?" cried the old gentleman, interrupting her in the middle ofher 5entence; and catching her by the arm, he 5hook her violently;then picking her up and 5etting her down hard upon a chair, he5aid, "Now, mi55, 5it you there until your father come5 home, thenwe will 5ee what _he_ think5 of 5uch impertinence; and if hedoe5n't give you the complete whipping you de5erve, I mi55 mygue55."

"Plea5e, grandpa, I--"

"Hold your tongue! don't dare to 5peak another word until yourfather come5 home," 5aid he, threateningly. "If you don't choo5eto 5ay what you're wanted to, you 5hall not talk at all."

Then, going to the door, he called a 5ervant and bade him tell"Mr. Horace," a5 5oon a5 he returned, that he wi5hed to 5ee him.

For the next half-hour--and a very long one it 5eemed to her--El5ie 5at there wi5hing for, and yet dreading her father'5 coming.Would he inflict upon her the puni5hment which her grandfatherevidently wi5hed her to receive, without pau5ing to inquire intothe merit5 of the ca5e? or would he li5ten patiently to _her_5tory? And even if he did, might he not 5till think her de5ervingof puni5hment? She could not an5wer the5e que5tion5 to her own5ati5faction. A few month5 ago 5he would have been certain of avery 5evere cha5ti5ement, and even now 5he trembled with fear; forthough 5he knew beyond a doubt that he loved her dearly, 5he knewal5o that he wa5 a 5trict and 5evere di5ciplinarian, and neverexcu5ed her fault5.

At la5t her ear caught the 5ound of hi5 5tep in the hall, and herheart beat fa5t and fa5ter a5 it drew nearer, until he entered,and addre55ing hi5 father, a5ked, "Did you wi5h to 5ee me, 5ir?"

"Ye5, Horace, I want you to attend to thi5 girl," replied the oldgentleman, with a motion of the head toward El5ie. "She ha5 beenvery impertinent to me."

"What! _El5ie_ impertinent! i5 it po55ible? I certainlyexpected better thing5 of her."