“No, love, I’m sure you could not,” he said, tenderly clasping the little hand she had laid in his.  “But the truest, purest happiness is found at home.  And,” he added with a smile, “it is quite to the advantage of your plans for study that society can claim so little of your time and strength at present.  You are doing so nicely that I am very proud of my pupil.”

She flushed with pleasure, but with a roguish smile, and shaking her finger warningly at him, “Take care,” she said, “don’t let the husband be lost in the tutor, or I shall——­”

“What? go over to grandpa?”

“Oh, no, no!” she cried, snatching her hand from his grasp, and lifting both in mimic horror.

“What are you two chatting so cosily about in that far-off corner?” asked Mrs. Leland’s cheery voice from the midst of the larger group at the farther side of the room.

“It’s merely a little private confab between man and wife, in which the public can have no interest,” returned Edward.

“Quite a mistake, so far as this part of the public is concerned,” said his mother, her soft brown eyes gazing lovingly upon them, “but we won’t pry into your secrets, only invite you to join our circle when you have finished your private chat.”

For some weeks all went well with our friends at Ion; the family machinery worked smoothly, with no jarring or jostling; everybody in good humor and behaving kindly toward everybody else.

Max and Lulu made good progress in their studies, and were able to give a good report of each day in their diaries, which, of their own accord, they brought each evening to Violet for her inspection.

She reminded them that they were not required to do so; but they answered that they preferred it; they wanted to know if she thought they were representing themselves as better than they really were.

She was glad to be able to answer with truth that she did not think so, and that she could report them to their father as worthy of all praise in regard to both conduct and diligence in study.

“You have both been so pleasant tempered,” she remarked in conclusion, “Lulu neither grumbling nor so much as looking sour over her tasks, or even the sewing lessons, which I know are particularly distasteful to her.  Dear child, you have been very good, and I know it will rejoice your father’s heart to hear it,” she added, kissing the little girl’s cheek.

Lulu’s face flushed and her eyes shone, Mrs. Scrimp had been always ready to blame, never to praise, but with Mamma Vi it was just the other way.  She was almost blind to faults, but particularly keen-sighted where virtues were concerned.

Violet turned toward Max to find him regarding her with wistful, longing looks.

“Well, what is it, Max, my dear boy?” she asked, half laughingly.

“Don’t be partial, Mamma Vi,” he answered.  “I do believe a boy likes a kiss from a sweet, pretty lady that he has a right to care for, quite as well as a girl does.”