f I don't it will be his fault; it would take the patience of a
saint to bear forever with his injustice and ill-temper. I know I have a
bad temper, but I'm sure his is a great deal worse."

"I do really think it is, Lu; but other people having worse faults
doesn't make ours any better. Besides, do you suppose he has had as good
religious teaching as you and I?"

"No; of course not. But I never thought of that before. He's a man,
though, and a man ought to be expected to have better control of himself
than a little girl."

Evelyn and Lulu took their music-lessons on the same day of the week,
Evelyn first, Lulu immediately after.

They met the next day at the door of the music-room, the one coming out,
the other just about to enter.

Evelyn was looking pale and agitated, Lulu flushed and angry, having been
scolded--unjustly, she thought--by Miss Diana, who accused her of
slighting a drawing with which she had really taken great pains.

"Oh, Lu, do be careful; the slightest mistake angers him to-day,"
whispered Evelyn in passing.

"It always does," said Lulu, gloomily.

"But you will be on your guard?" Lulu nodded, and stepped into the room
with a "Good-morning, signor."

"Good-morning, mees; you are von leetle moment too late."

Deigning no reply to that, Lulu took possession of the piano-stool,
spread out her music and began playing.

"Dat ish too fast, mees; you should not make it like to a galop or a
valtz," stormed the little man.

Without a word Lulu changed her time, playing very slowly.

"Now you make von funeral-dirge," he cried fiercely. "Play in de true
time or I vill--"

"You will what?" she asked coolly, as he paused without finishing his
sentence.

"Report you, mees."

She merely flashed a scornful glance at him out of her great dark eyes,
and went on with her exercise, really doing her best to play it
correctly.

But nothing would please him; he continued to fume and scold till he
succeeded in confusing the child so that she blundered sadly.

"You are striking false notes, mees," he roared; "I will not have it!"
And with the words a stinging blow from his pointer fell across the
fingers of her left hand.

Instantly Lulu was on her feet, white with concentrated passion; the next
she had seized the music-book in both hands and dealt her cowardly
assailant a blow with it on the side of his head and face that nearly
stunned him and gave him a black eye for a week.

At the same moment