arms, and sat down with it on her lap.

"Lu, Lu!" the little one repeated in her sweet baby voice; and Lulu
hugged her close, kissing her again and again, and saying softly, "You
dear, sweet darling; sister loves you, indeed, indeed she does!"

The captain looked on, his heart swelling with joy and thankfulness over
the evident mutual affection of the two; for there had been a time when
he feared Lulu would never love the child of her step-mother as she did
Max and Grace.

Violet entered the room at that moment, and the little scene caused her
eyes to fill with tears of gladness.

She was ready for the shopping expedition the next day: the children
were allowed to go too, and again had a most enjoyable time.

After that they were told lessons must be taken up again: and Lulu
passed most of her time in her own room, generally engaged in preparing
her tasks for her father to hear in the evening; for he was now so busy
with the improvements being carried forward at Woodburn, that very often
he could not attend to her recitations till after tea.

She continued to think him the kindest and most interesting teacher she
had ever had; while he found, to his surprise, that he had a liking for
the occupation, aside from his fatherly interest in his pupil: and Max
and Grace, listening to Lulu's report, grew anxious for the time when
they could share her privileges.

But their waiting-time would not be very long. As soon as Miss Elliott's