That Lenora was not all bad was shown by the unselfish affection she ever manifested for Willie, although her untimely interference between him and her mother oftentimes made matters worse.  Thus, on the occasion of which we have been speaking, Mrs. Hamilton had scarcely left the room ere Lenora released Willie from his confinement, thereby giving him the impression that his mother alone was to blame.  Fortunately, however, Margaret’s judgment was better, and though she felt justly indignant at the cruelty practised upon poor Carrie, she could not uphold Willie in striking his mother.  Calling him to her room, she talked to him until he was wholly softened, and offered, of his own accord, to go and say he was sorry, provided Maggie would accompany him as far as the door of the sitting-room, where his mother would probably be found.  Accordingly, Mag descended the stairs with him, and meeting Lenora in the hall, said, “Is she in the sitting-room?”

“Is she in the sitting-room?” repeated Lenora; “and pray who may she be?” then quick as thought she added, “Oh, yes, I know.  She is in there telling HE!”

Lenora was right in her conjecture, for Mrs. Hamilton, greatly enraged at Willie’s presumption in striking her, and still more provoked at him for untying himself, as she supposed he had, was laying before her husband quite an aggravated case of assault and battery.

In the midst of her argument Willie entered the room, with tear-stained eyes, and without noticing the presence of his father, went directly to his mother, and burying his face in her lap, sobbed out, “Willie is sorry he struck you, and will never do so again, if you will forgive him.”

In a much gentler tone than she would have assumed had not her husband been present, Mrs. Hamilton replied, “I can forgive you for striking me, Willie, but what have you to say about untying yourself?”

“I didn’t do it,” said Willie; “Leno did that.”

“Be careful what you say,” returned Mrs. Hamilton.  “I can’t believe Lenora would do so.”

Ere Willie had time to repeat his assertion Lenora, who all the time had been standing by the door, appeared, saying, “You may believe him, for he has never been whipped to make him lie.  I did do it, and I would do it again.”

“Lenora,” said Mr. Hamilton, rather sternly, “you should not interfere in that manner.  You will spoil the child.”

It was the first time he had presumed to reprove his stepdaughter, and as there was nothing on earth which Mrs. Hamilton so much feared as Lenora’s tongue, she dreaded the disclosures which further remark from her husband might call forth.  So, assuming an air of great distress, she said, “Leave her to me, my dear.  She is a strange girl, as I always told you, and no one can manage her as well as myself.”  Then kissing Willie in token of forgiveness, she left the room, drawing Lenora after her and whispering fiercely in her ear, “How can you ever expect to succeed with the son, if you show off this way before the father.”