“I am not afraid to trust you, my darling,” he answered with a smile, “but of course I want you near me that I may take the very best care of you always and all the time.”

“Well, then, I’ll get and keep just as close to you as I can,” she answered with a merry look and smile.  “But, papa——­”

“Well, daughter, what is it?” he asked, as she paused and hesitated, as if fearful that he might be displeased with what she was about to say.

“I was just thinking,—­please don’t be vexed with me,—­but wasn’t Mamma Vi only nineteen when you married her?”

“Yes,” he said, with a slight smile, “but circumstances alter cases, and I have changed my views somewhat since then.”

“Yes,” she said, reflectively; “she had no father, and it was you she married, you who know so well how to take care of both her and your daughters.”

At that her father merely smiled again and patted her cheek, saying.  “I am glad you are so well content with my guardianship.”

He did not think it necessary to tell her of a talk with Violet the night before, in which he had expressed his determination to keep his daughters single for some years to come,—­certainly not less than five or six,—­and his fear that Chester and one or two others had already begun to perceive their charms, and might succeed all too soon in winning their affections; in reply to which Violet had, with a very mirthful look, reminded him how young she herself was at the time of their marriage, and that he did not seem to think it at all necessary to wait for her to grow older.

In answer to that he had laughingly insisted that she was far more mature than his daughters bid fair to be at the same age; adding that besides he certainly ought to have gained something in wisdom in the years which had passed since their marriage.

“Ah,” said Violet giving him a look of ardent affection, “after all I am glad you had not attained to all that wisdom some years earlier, my dear husband, for my life with you has been such a happy, happy one.  Your dear love is my greatest earthly treasure, our little son and daughter scarcely less a joy of heart to me.”

“To me also,” he said, drawing her into his arms and giving her tenderest caresses, “yet not quite so dear as their mother; for you, my love, have the very first place in my heart.”

“And you in mine,” she returned, her eyes dewy with happy tears; “and I love your daughters dearly, dearly; I could hardly bear to part with them, and I am glad to perceive that they, as yet, care nothing for beaux, but are devoted to their father and happy in his love.”

“Yes, I think they are, and fondly hope they will continue to be, for a number of years to come,” was his pleased response.  “I have no doubt they will,” said Violet, and there the conversation ended.

* * * * *

“More than content, papa; for as I have often said, I just delight in belonging to you,” was Lucilla’s glad response to his last remark in that morning talk.