The captain was too much shocked and astonished to speak for a moment.  He had not dreamed that his child possessed so terrible a temper.

“You were never more mistaken, Lulu,” he said at length in a moved tone; “I never loved my children better than I love them now.  Are you not sorry for your rebellious reply to me a moment since? will you not tell me so, and do at once what I have bidden you?”

“No; I’ll never ask her pardon!”

“You will stay in this room in solitary confinement until you do, though it should be all summer,” he said firmly, went out, locked the door on the outside, and put the key into his pocket.

Zoe and Rosie had hastened away the moment the captain appeared upon the scene in the veranda, and as he led Lulu into the house Violet burst into tears.

“O mamma!” she sobbed, “what shall I do?  I wish I had not said a word about the ornaments, but just let her wear them!  I never meant to make trouble between my husband and his children!  I never should have done so intentionally.”

“My dear child, you have no cause to blame yourself,” Elsie said soothingly.

“No, not a bit of it, Mamma Vi,” cried Max, coming to her side.  “I love Lu dearly, but I know she has a very bad temper, and I think it’s for her own good that papa has found it out already, so that he can take means to help her conquer it.  Dear me!  I should never dare to say ‘I won’t’ to him.  Nor I shouldn’t want to, because he’s such a good father to us, and I love him dearly.”

“Dear Max,” Violet said, smiling through her tears as she took his hand and pressed it affectionately in hers.  “I am sure he is a good, kind, loving father; his children could never doubt it if they had heard all he has said to me about them, and I trust you will never do anything to give him pain.”

The captain rejoined them presently, asking the ladies with an assumed cheerfulness if they intended bathing.

They answered in the negative, and turning to Max he said kindly, “My son, if you wish to do so, I will take you with me.  The surf is fine this morning and I feel inclined to go in.”

“Oh, thank you, papa!” cried Max, “it will be splendid to go in with you!”

The captain re-entered the house and Violet followed.  He turned at the sound of her quick, light step, saw the distress in her face, the tears in her eyes, and was much moved thereby.

“My love, my darling!” he said, taking her in his arms, “do not let this thing trouble you.  Ah, it pains me deeply that a child of mine should have already brought tears to those sweet eyes.”

“O Levis!” she sobbed, hiding her face on his breast, “forgive her for my sake.  Don’t insist on her asking my pardon.  I would not have her so humiliated.”

“There are few things you would ask, love, that I would not grant,” he said tenderly, softly smoothing the golden hair; “but for my daughter’s own sake I must compel her obedience.  What would become of her if left to the unrestrained indulgence of such a temper and spirit of insubordination as she has shown this morning?”