Little had passed between them since the talk of yesterday when he carried in her dinner. He found her now sitting in a listless attitude, and she did not look up on his entrance. He lifted her from her chair, sat down in it himself, and took her on his knee. "Has this holy day brought no good thoughts or feelings to my little girl?" he asked, gently smoothing the hair back from her forehead. "You know I couldn't go to church, papa," she said, without looking at him. "No; I know you could have gone, had you chosen to be a good, obedient child." "Papa, how can you go on trying to make me tell a lie when you have always taught me it was such a wicked, wicked thing to do?" "I try to make you tell a lie! what can you mean, daughter?" he asked in great surprise. "Yes, papa, you are trying to make me ask Mamma Vi's pardon after I have said I wouldn't." "Ah, my child, that was a wicked promise because it was rebellion against your father's authority, which God commands you to respect. Therefore the sin was in making it, and it is your duty to break it." Then he made her repeat the fifth commandment, and called her attention to its promise of long life and prosperity, as far as it shall be for God's glory and their own good, to all such as keep it. "I want you to inherit that blessing, my child," he said, "and to escape the curses pronounced against those who refuse obedience to their parents." Opening the Bible, he read to her, "The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it." She gave him a frightened look, then, with a slight shudder, hid her face on his breast, but did not speak. "Lulu," he said, again softly stroking her hair, "about nine years ago I came home from a long voyage to find a dear little dark-eyed baby daughter, and as I took her in my arms, oh how my heart went out in love to her and gratitude to God for giving her to me! I loved her dearly then. I have loved her ever since with unabated affection, and never doubted her love to me until now." "Papa, I do love you," she said, hastily brushing away a tear. "I've said I was sorry for being naughty to you and didn't mean to do so any more." "And yet are continuing to be naughty and disobedient all the time. It is quite possible, Lulu, that you may some day be fatherless; if that time should come, do you think you will look back with pleasure to these days of rebellion?" At that she cried quite bitterly, but her father waited in vain for a word of reply. He put her on her knees on the floor, knelt beside her, and with his hand on her head prayed earnestly, tenderly that the Lord would cast out her wicked temper, forgive her sins, give her a new heart, and make her his own dear child. Rising, he took her in his arms again for a moment, she still sobbing, but saying not a word, then putting her gently aside, he left the room.