Mamma Vi," she said, "what--what does papa tell you
about me?" She spoke hesitatingly, her head drooping, her cheeks hot
with blushes. "I mean, what does he say is to be done with me?"

Violet pitied the child from the bottom of her heart. "I wish, dear,"
she said, "that I could tell you he consented to mamma's request to let
us try you here a little longer; but--doesn't he say something about it
in his note to you?"

"Yes, mamma Vi," Lulu answered chokingly: "he says he can't let me stay
here any longer, to be such a trouble and torment to you all, and will
put me somewhere else as soon as he can find a suitable place; but he
doesn't say what is to be done with me just now."

"No, dear: he leaves that to us,--grandpa, mamma, and me,--and we have
decided that no change in the arrangements for the summer need be made."

"O mamma Vi! how good and kind you all are!" cried Lulu, in a burst of
irrestrainable gratitude; and her tears began to fall.

Violet was quite moved by the child's emotion. "You have been a dear
good girl of late, and we feel glad to take you with us," she said,
drawing her to her side, and giving her an affectionate kiss. "Your
father says there is a possibility that he may be at home with us again
for a while, in the fall; he expects to settle you somewhere then: but
if you continue to be so good, perhaps he may relent, and allow you
still to have a home with us. I am quite sure that such a child as you
have been for the last two or three months, would be heartily welcome to
us all."

"It's ever so good in you to say that, mamma Vi," returned the little
girl, furtively wiping her eyes; "and I'm determined to try with all my
might. I'd want to do it to please papa, even if I knew there wasn't one
bit of hope of his letting me stay. I don't think there is much,
because, if he decides a thing positively, he's very apt to stick to
it."

"Yes, I know; but he will doubtless take into account that circumstances
alter cases," Violet answered lightly, and with a pleasant smile. "And
at all events, you may be quite sure that whatever small influence I may
possess will be exerted in your behalf."

"I am sure you have a great deal, mamma Vi; and I thank you very much
for that promise," Lulu said, turning to go.

But at that instant a quick, boyish step sounded in the hall without;
and Max's voice at the door asked, "Mamma Vi, may I come in?"

"Yes," she said; and in he rushed, with a face full of excite