Lulu’s first emotion on hearing all this was delight that she was to go; the next, gratitude to these kind friends, mingled with a deep sense of shame on account of her misconduct.

Impulsively she rose from her seat, hastened to the door of communication with the room where they were, and, pausing on the threshold, asked timidly, “Mamma Vi, may I come in?”

“Yes, Lulu,” Violet answered with a kindly look and smile; and the little girl, stepping quickly to Mr. Dinsmore’s side, addressed him, with eyes cast down and cheeks burning with blushes: 

“I heard what you said just now, Grandpa Dinsmore, though I wasn’t intending to be an eavesdropper, and I thank you very much for being so kind and forgiving to me when I’ve been so ungrateful and troublesome to you; and it makes me feel very sorry and ashamed, because of my bad behavior.  Will you please forgive me? and I’ll try to be a better girl in future,” she added with an effort.

“Surely I will, my dear child,” Mr. Dinsmore responded, taking her by the hand and drawing her to him, then bending down to kiss her cheek and stroke her hair caressingly.  “So well assured am I that you are truly sorry, and desirous to do better, that I should say come back to the school-room to-morrow, if we were going on with lessons as usual; but as the time for setting out upon our journey to Viamede is so very near, I shall give no more lessons, after to-day, until we return.”

“Ah,” glancing at his watch, “I see I should be with my pupils now;” and with that he rose and left the room.

“Lulu, dear, you have made me quite happy,” Elsie said, smiling affectionately upon the little girl.

“And me also,” said Violet; “and I know your father would feel so too, if he were here.”

“You are all so kind you make me feel very much ashamed of myself,” murmured Lulu, blushing and casting down her eyes.  “Mamma Vi, can I do anything to help you?”

“If you like to amuse baby for a few minutes, it will be a help to me,” Violet answered; for she saw that just now it would give Lulu sincere pleasure to think herself of use.  “Her mammy is eating her breakfast,” Violet continued, “and I want to speak to Christine and Alma about some sewing they are doing for me.”

“I’d like to, Mamma Vi,” returned Lulu, holding out her hands to little Elsie, and delighted that her mute invitation was at once accepted; the sweet babe stretching out its chubby arms to her.

“I do think she is just as pretty and smart as she can be!  Aren’t you, you darling little pet?” she went on, hugging and kissing the little one with sisterly affection, while the young mother looked on with shining eyes.

It was a great relief to her that Lulu seemed to have entirely banished her former jealousy of her baby-sister; and that this pleasant state of affairs might continue, she was careful to make her errand to the sewing-room very short, lest Lulu should begin to find her task irksome.