“You may be sure I will and thank you, too,” he returned, giving the pretty white hand she had put into his an affectionate squeeze.  “Good-by.  I’m glad you have your father to take good care of you.”

“So am I,” she said, with a happy laugh; “I’m sure there’s no better caretaker in the world.”

It was somewhat later before the others went and Lucilia, sitting a little apart from them, watched furtively the behavior toward each other of the newly engaged couples.

“A penny for your thoughts, Lu,” said Violet, coming up from seeing her little ones in bed, and taking a seat by Lucilla’s side.

“Really, they are not worth it, Mamma Vi,” laughed the young girl.  “I was watching Rosie, and wondering how she could ever think of leaving such a dear mother as hers to—­marry and live with even so good and agreeable a young man as Mr. Croly.”

“And what do you think of my leaving that very mother (the very best and dearest of mothers she is, too) for a husband when I was a full year younger than Rosie is now?” returned Violet, with a mischievous twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

“Oh, that was to live with papa—­the dearest and best of men!  I can see how one might well forsake father and mother and everybody else to live with him.”

“I agree with you,” said Violet.  “I love my mother dearly; it would break my heart to lose her; and yet I love my husband still more.”

“I don’t believe I shall ever be able to say that,” said Lulu emphatically.  “I feel perfectly sure that I shall never love anybody else half so well as I do my own dear father.”

“I know it would trouble him sorely to think you did,” said Violet; “so I hope you will not think of such a thing for at least five or six years to come.”

“Five or six years!  Indeed, Mamma Vi, you may be sure I will never leave him while he lives.  I know I could not be happy away from him.  I have always looked to him for loving care and protection, and I hope that if ever he should grow old and feeble, I may be able to give the same to him.”

“I can scarcely bear to think that that time will ever come,” said Violet, gazing at her husband with loving, admiring eyes.  “But I hope it is far off, for he really seems to have grown younger of late—­since coming here to the Fair.”

“I think so too, Mamma Vi,” said Lucilla; “and indeed it seems as though everybody was younger—­they all look so happy and interested; at least until they get worn out; as one does with all the walking and the thousands of things to look at, and feeling all the time in fear that you may miss the very things you would care most to see.”

“Yes, that is the fatiguing part of it.  But we had a nice time to-day, Lu.  Aren’t you pleased with our purchases?”

“Yes, indeed, Mamma Vi!  I am sure Christine, Alma, and the servants cannot fail to be delighted with the gifts we have for them.  And papa has been so very generous in supplying Grace and me with money.  I hope Max will be pleased with all we bought for him.  Poor, dear fellow!  It is just a shame he couldn’t have been allowed to come here with us.”