“It is hardly that,” he answered:  “acknowledging a right, would be my way of expressing it.”

They had left the table and the breakfast-room, and were alone at the moment, the children having scattered to their work or play.

“How good you are to me, my dear husband!” she said, looking up fondly into his face as they stood together before the parlor fire.

“Not a whit better than I ought to be, my darling,” he responded, bending to kiss the sweet, upturned face.  “I have taken you from a tender mother and a most luxurious home, and it must be my care to see that you lose nothing by the transplantation—­sweet and delicate flower that you are!”

“In my place, Zoe would call you an old flatterer,” she returned with a light laugh, but a tell-tale moisture gathering in her eyes.

“And what do you call me, my Violet?” he asked, putting his arm about her, and drawing her close to his side.

“The kindest, best, dearest of husbands, the noblest of men!”

“Ah, my dear! who is the flatterer now?” he laughed.  “I’m afraid you and I might be accused of forming a mutual admiration society.”

“Well, what if we do? isn’t it the very best sort of a society for husband and wife to form?  Levis, am I to have no duties in this house? none of the cares and labors that the mistress of an establishment is usually expected to assume?”

“You shall have no care of housekeeping that I can save you from,” he said.  “I undertake that, with Christine as my head assistant; though you, of course, are mistress, with the right to give orders and directions whenever you will—­to housekeeper, servants, children, even to your husband if you see fit,” he concluded with a humorous look and smile.

“The idea of my ordering you whom I have promised to obey,” she returned merrily.  “But I’m afraid you are going to spoil me.  Am I to have nothing to do?”

“You are to do exactly what you please,” he said:  “the care and training of our little one, aside from all the assistance to be had from servants, will furnish you with no small amount of employment.”

“But you will help me with that?”

“Certainly, love; I intend to be as good and faithful a father to her as I know how to be:  but you are her mother, and will do a mother’s part by her, I know.  Then, there are wifely duties which you would not wish to delegate to any one else.”

“No, never!” she cried.  “O my dear husband! it is the greatest pleasure in life to do any thing I can to add to your comfort and happiness.”

“I know it, sweet wife.  Ah!” glancing at his watch, “I must tear myself away now from your dear society, and attend to the duties of employer and teacher.  I have some directions to give both employees and children.”

Grace ran and opened the schoolroom door at the sound of her father’s approaching footsteps.

“See, papa,” she said, “we are all here, waiting for you to come, and tell us what lessons to learn.”