Rose darted at her a look of angry astonishment, Gracie looked shocked, and little Walter said, “It’s very, very naughty to speak so to my mamma.”

But Elsie did not seem to have heard; her face still wore its usual sweet, placid expression.  Lulu thought she had not heard, but found out her mistake when she went forward to recite.  She was told in a gentle, quiet tone, “You are not my pupil, to-day, Lulu,” and returned to her seat overwhelmed with embarrassment and anger.

No further notice was taken of her by any one excerpt Gracie, who now and then stole a troubled, half-pitying look at her, until Mr Dinsmore came to hear the Latin lessons.

Lulu had sat idly at her desk nursing her anger and discontent, her eyes on the book open before her, but her thoughts elsewhere, so was not prepared for him.

She was frightened, but tried to hide it, made an attempt to answer the first question put to her, but broke down in confusion.

He asked another; she was unable to answer it; and with a frown he said, “I perceive that you know nothing about your lesson to-day.  Why have you not learned it?”

“Because I didn’t want to,” muttered the delinquent.

Rosie opened her eyes wide in astonishment.  She would never have dared to answer her grandfather in that manner.

“Take your book and learn it now,” he said in his sternest tone.

Lulu did not venture to disobey, for she was really very much afraid of Mr. Dinsmore.

He heard Rosie’s lesson, assigned her task for the next day, and both left the room.  The others had gone about the time Mr. Dinsmore came in, so Lulu was left alone.

She thought it best to give her mind to the lesson, and in half an hour felt that she was fully prepared with it.

But Mr. Dinsmore did not come back, and she dared not leave the room, though very impatient to do so.

The dinner bell rang, and still he had not come.

Lulu was hungry and began to fear that she was to be made to fast; but at length a servant brought her a good, substantial, though plain dinner, set it before her, and silently withdrew.

“It’s not half as good as they’ve got,” Lulu remarked half aloud to herself, discontentedly eying her fare, “but it’s better than nothing.”

With that philosophical reflection she fell to work, and speedily emptied the dishes.

Mr. Dinsmore came to her shortly after, heard the lesson, gave her a little serious talk and dismissed her.

Feeling that she owed an apology to Grandma Elsie, but still too stubborn and proud to make it, Lulu was ashamed to join the others, so went off alone into the grounds.  She was not Grandma Elsie’s pupil, she understood, until the morning’s impertinence had been atoned for.

It was against rules to go beyond the boundary of the grounds without permission; yet after wandering through them for a while, she did so, and entering a shady, pleasant road, walked on without any settled purpose, till she reached a neighboring plantation where lived some little girls with whom she had a slight acquaintance.