The letter was written from Saratoga, where the captain and his bride had paused for a few days on their wedding tour, and was addressed to all three of his children.

He told them of his marriage, described Violet, her mother, and the life at Ion in glowing terms, spoke very highly of Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore and the younger members of the family, then told of their kind offer to share their happy home with his children if they should prove themselves good and obedient.

But here Lulu interrupted the reading with a passionate outburst.  “A step-mother!  I won’t have her!  Papa had no business to go and give her to us!”

“Why, Lu!” exclaimed Max, “of course he had a right to get married if he wanted to!  And I’m very glad he did, for I’m sure they must be much nicer folks to live with than Mr. Fox and Mrs. Scrimp.”

“Just like a silly boy to talk so!” returned Lulu, with a mixture of anger and scorn in her tones.  “Step-mothers are always hateful and cross and abuse the children and won’t let their father love them any more, and——­”

“Now who’s been telling you such lies, sis?” interrupted Max.  “There are bad ones and good ones among them, the same as among other classes of people.  And papa says his new wife is sweet and kind and good to everybody.  And if she loves him won’t she want to be good to his children?  I should think so, I’m sure.  Now let me read the rest of his letter.”

In that the captain went on to tell of the cottages by the sea engaged for the summer, and that thither he and Violet purposed to go the next week, taking his children with them.  He wound up with some words of fatherly affection and hope that brighter days than they had known for a long time were now in store for them.

There was a postscript from Violet:  “I am longing to see the dear children of my husband, especially poor, little sick Gracie.  I am sure we shall love each other very much for his dear sake.”

“There now, Lu, you see she means to be kind to us,” was Max’s satisfied comment, as he refolded the missive and put it back into the envelope.

Lulu was one who never liked to retreat from a position she had once taken.  “Oh, it’s easy to talk,” she said, “acting’s another thing.  I’m not going to be caught with chaff.”

“See here!” said Max, showing a photograph.

“Oh, what a pretty lady!” cried Gracie, holding out an eager hand for it.

Max gave it to her, and Lulu sprang up and bent over her to get a good view of it also.

“Who is it?” she asked.

“Isn’t she pretty? isn’t she perfectly beautiful, and sweet-looking as she can be?” said Max, ignoring the question.

“Yes, she’s just lovely; but why don’t you say who she is, if you know?”

“She’s papa’s new wife, the new mamma you are determined to believe is going to be so hateful.”

“I’m sure she won’t.  She does look so sweet, I just love her already!” Gracie said.