hers, but kept me at home
with you. I do hope that I'll remember after this that you always know
and do the very best thing for me, and that I'll never, never grow
ill-tempered and rebellious, as I was yesterday."

"You think you can trust your father after this, even without being told
his reasons for all he does and requires?"

"I hope so, papa, and indeed, indeed I'm very much ashamed of my
rebellious feelings and don't intend to indulge in them any more!" she
added, with a remorseful look up into his face.

"Try to keep that resolution, dear child," he said. "Now good-night and
pleasant dreams. May he who neither slumbers nor sleeps have you in his
kind care and keeping. But if you want your earthly father, you have
only to call out or run to him."

CHAPTER XIV.

Lulu's first thought on awaking the next morning was of dear Grandma
Elsie. "I wonder," she said to herself, "if papa has not been asking
news of her through the telephone; oh, I hope she is getting well!"

Hurrying through the duties of the toilet, she was ready to run to meet
her father when presently she heard his steps in the hall without.

"Good-morning, papa," she cried. "Oh, have you heard from Ion how
Grandma Elsie passed the night?"

"Yes," he said, bending down to give her a good-morning kiss, "she
passed a very comfortable night; is thought to be doing as well as
possible. Mamma Vi and our little ones are all right also; I have just
had a talk with your mamma, through the telephone."

"Oh, I am glad! How nice it is that we can talk in that way to the folks
at Ion and the other places where Mamma Vi's relations live!"

"Yes; a telephone is really a blessing under such circumstances. I am
much more reconciled to being at some short distance from my wife and
little ones than I could be if without such means of communication."

They went down to the library together and seating himself he drew her
to his knee, saying pleasantly, "You are the youngest child at home with
me, and I think I must have you here. I hope you will never think
yourself too old to sometimes sit on your father's knee."

"No, papa, I'm sure I never shall while you are willing to let me," she
replied, putting an arm round his neck and gazing lovingly into his
eyes.

They chatted for a few minutes, then the breakfast bell rang, and
presently they were again seated at the little round table from which
they had eaten last night's supper, Lulu pouring the coffee