“Why, my darling, what is the matter?” she asked in a tone full of concern, taking the little girl in her arms as she spoke.

“Oh, mamma, it’s—­But I mustn’t tell you, ’cause Grandpa Dinsmore said we were not to mention it unless it was quite necessary.”

“But surely you may tell your mamma anything that distresses you so!  Is it that Grandpa Dinsmore is displeased?”

“Not with me, mamma.”

“Then with Max or Lulu?”

“Mamma, I think I may tell you a little,” Grace replied, with some hesitation.  “It’s with Lulu; but I can’t say what for.  But, oh, mamma, if Grandpa Dinsmore won’t teach Lu any more will she have to go away to boarding-school?”

“I hope not, dearie; I think not if she will be content to take me for her teacher,” Violet said, with a half-suppressed sigh, for she felt that she might be pledging herself to a most trying work; Lulu would dare much more in the way of disregarding her authority than that of her grandfather.

But she was rewarded by Grace’s glad exclamation, “Oh, mamma, how good you are!  I hope Lulu would never be naughty to you.  How could she if you save her from being sent away?”

“I think Lulu wants to be good,” Violet said gently; “but she finds her naturally quick temper very hard to govern.”

“But she always grows sorry very soon,” Grace remarked in a deprecating tone.

“Yes, dear, so she does.  She is a dear child, as her father says, and one cannot help loving her in spite of her faults.”

“Thank you, darling mamma, for saying that!” Grace exclaimed, throwing her arms round Violet’s neck and kissing her cheek.  “May I tell Lulu that you will teach her if Grandpa Dinsmore will not?”

“No, Gracie,” Violet answered, with grave look and tone; “it will do her good, I think, to fear for a while that she may lose the privileges she enjoys here by not valuing them enough to make good use of them, or by indulging in improper behavior toward those whom her father has placed over her, and who are in every way worthy of her respect and obedience.”

“Yes, mamma,” Grace responded submissively.

“Where is Lulu?” Violet asked.

“I don’t know, mamma.  Oh yes, I see her coming up the avenue,” she corrected herself, as she glanced from a window.  “She’s been taking a walk, I s’pose.”

Presently they heard Lulu enter her own room, shut the door, lock and bolt it, as if determined to secure herself from intrusion.  But Grace hastened to join her, passing through the door that opened from Violet’s apartments.

Lulu, who was taking off her hat, turned sharply round with an angry frown on her brow.  But it vanished at sight of the intruder.

“Oh, it’s only you, is it, Gracie?” she said in a slightly relieved tone.  “But what’s the matter?  What have you been crying about?”

“You, Lulu; oh, I’m so sorry for you!” Grace answered, with a sob, running to her sister and putting her arms round her neck.