At last she faltered brokenly:
"Yes, father--it is an impulse--an impulse from heaven; but I shall
pray daily that it be not a passing one. I--I have lost confidence
in myself, but with my Saviour's help, I will try to be a loving
daughter to you and make your wishes first in everything."
"Great God!" he muttered, "can this be true?"
"Yes, father, because God IS great, and very, VERY, kind."
His bent form became erect and almost steely in its tenseness. He
gently but firmly placed her in a chair, and then paced the room
rapidly a moment or two, his dark eyes glowing with a strong and
kindling excitement. Ida began to regard him with wonder and almost
alarm. Suddenly he raised his hand to heaven, and said solemnly:
"This shall be no one-sided affair so help me God!"
Then opening his valise, he took out a bottle of brandy and thew
it, with a crash, into the empty grate.
Ida sprang towards him with a glad cry, exclaiming, "O father, now
I understand you! Thank God! thank God!"
He kissed her tearful, upturned face again and again, as if he
found there the very elixir of life.
"Ida, my dear little Ida," he said, huskily, "you have saved your
father from a drunkard's end--from a drunkard's grave.
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