“If you’ll just let me be her escort, Grandma Elsie, I’ll walk beside her with pleasure and take the very best care of her,” said Max, proudly and assuming quite a manly air.

“I’d want a bigger and stronger man than you, Max,” remarked Rosie, teasingly.

“Then I won’t offer my services to you, Rosie,” he answered with dignity, while Lulu gave Rosie a displeased glance which the latter did not seem to notice.

“Never mind, Max; I appreciate your offered services, and shall not be afraid to trust myself to your care,” Evelyn said in a lively tone; and putting an arm affectionately round Lulu’s waist, “Come, Lu, let us go out on the lawn; I saw some lovely flowers there that I want to gather for Aunt Elsie’s adornment this evening.”

So the little group scattered, and Grace followed Violet to her dressing-room.

“What is it, dear? is anything wrong with my little girl?” asked Vi, noticing that the child was unusually quiet and wore a troubled look on the face that was wont to be without a cloud.

“Not much, mamma—­only—­only I’ve never been to school, and—­and I’m—­afraid of strange people.”

A sob came with the last word, and the tears began to fall.

“Then you shall not go, darling; you shall stay at home and say your little lessons to your mamma,” Violet said, sitting down and drawing the little girl to her with a tender caress.

“Oh, mamma, thank you! how good you are to me!” cried Grace, glad smiles breaking suddenly through the rain of tears, as she threw her arms round Violet’s neck and held up her face for another kiss.

“But I will go if you think I ought,” she added the next moment, “for you know I want to do right and please Jesus.”

“Yes, dear, I know you are trying all the time to please Him; I can see it very plainly; but I shall be glad to keep my darling at home with me; and that being the case, I do not think your conscience need trouble you if you stay at home.  The academy people will have no cause to complain, because you were not promised positively to them.”

“Dear mamma, you’ve made me so happy!” exclaimed Grace, hugging Violet with all her little strength.  “I’m so obliged to papa for giving me such a dear, sweet, kind mother.”

“And I am obliged to him for the dear little daughter he has given me,” Violet responded with a low, pleased laugh.

Grandma Elsie sat alone upon the veranda, the rest having gone away, except Max, who lingered at a little distance, now and then casting a wistful glance at her.

At length catching one of these, she gave him, an encouraging smile and beckoned him to her side.  “What is it, Max?” she asked.  “Don’t be afraid to tell me all that is in your heart.”

“No, ma’am, I don’t think I am; only I shouldn’t like to be troublesome when you are so very kind to me—­as well as to everybody else.”

“I shall not think you so, but be very glad if I can help you in any way,” she answered, taking the boy’s hand and looking into his eyes with so kind and motherly an expression that his heart went out to her in truly filial love.