old him the baby was sure to get well."

"I think he would, but that Lu has cried herself sick, and he wants her
to sleep off her headache. He refused to let Gracie and me in for that
reason."

"Poor thing!" Evelyn exclaimed, tears springing to her eyes. "I should
think it must have been almost enough to set her crazy. But how happy
she will be when she hears that your father isn't going away again, and
means to keep her at home with him."

"Yes, indeed; she'll go wild with joy; it's what all three of us have
wanted to have happen more than any thing else we could think of.

"I've often envied boys that could live at home with their fathers;
though," he added with a happy laugh, "I've said to myself many a time,
that mine was enough nicer than theirs to make up for having to do
without him so much of the time; at least, I'd never have been willing
to swap fathers with one of 'em. No, indeed!"

"Of course not," said Evelyn. "And I'm so delighted that Lu and I are
not to be separated! I can hardly wait to talk with her about it, and
the good times we'll have together."

A nap and a nice supper had refreshed Lulu a good deal; but she felt
weak and languid, and was lying on the bed again when her father
returned to her room.

She looked up at him wistfully as he came and stood beside her, then
her eyes filled with tears.

"What is it?" he asked, lifting her from the bed, seating himself, and
drawing her into his arms: "what is your petition? for I read in your
eyes that you have one to make."

"Papa, you won't send me away--very--soon, will you?" she pleaded in
tremulous tones, her arm round his neck, her face hidden on his
shoulder.

"Not till I go myself; then I shall take you with me."

"To a boarding-school?" she faltered.

"No: I'm going to put you in a private family."

Her face was still hidden, and she did not see the smile in his eyes.

"What kind of people are they, papa?" she asked with a deep-drawn sigh.

"Very nice people, I think: the wife and mother is a very lovely woman,
and the four children--a boy and three girls--are, I presume, neither
better nor worse than my own four. The gentleman, who will teach you
himself, along with the others, and have the particular care and
oversight of you, is perhaps rather stern and severe with any one who
ventures to disobey his orders; but I am quite certain, that, if you are
good and obedient, he will be very kind and indulgent, possibly a trifle
more