e carriage, Max giving her the help of
his hand.

The others were already in, and as Max took the only vacant seat, by
Lulu's side, he noticed that her face was very red, and that Grace was
crying.

"What's the matter?" he asked, glancing from one to the other.

"Lulu's not coming home with us to-night; she's going to board at
Oakdale, she says," sobbed Grace.

"Is that so? What for?" asked Max, looking at Lulu.

"Because Grandpa Dinsmore says I must, if I won't take lessons of Signor
Foresti."

It was news to Evelyn, Rose, and Walter as well as to Max, they having
heard nothing of it before. There was a moment of surprised silence,
broken by Rosie:

"Well, you may as well give up. Grandpa is not to be conquered, as I knew
when the contest began."

Max and Evelyn were looking much distressed.

"Oh, Lulu, do!" entreated the latter; "you surely have held out long
enough,"

"I should think so," said Max; "especially considering how kind Grandpa
Dinsmore has been to us all, and that papa ordered us to be obedient to
him."

"I'd give up," remarked Walter, "'cause there's no use fighting grandpa.
Everybody has to mind him. Even mamma never does anything he asks her not
to."

"The idea of not being your own mistress, even when you're a
grandmother!" exclaimed Lulu scornfully.

"Mamma _is_ her own mistress," retorted Rose. "It is only that she loves
grandpa so dearly, and thinks him so wise and good, that she _prefers_ to
do just as he wishes her to."

CHAPTER XX.

"Let come what will, I mean to bear it out."

SHAKESPEARE.

"The hour for your music-lesson has arrived, Miss Raymond," announced
Miss Manton.

Rosie and Evelyn both looked entreatingly at Lulu; but scarcely raising
her eyes, she simply said, "I shall not take it to-day, Miss Diana."

"Very well; you will have to abide the consequences of your refusal,"
returned Miss Diana severely.

"Is it so very dreadful to live in this house with you?" queried saucy
Lulu.

"What do you mean by that impertinent question?" asked Miss Diana, facing
round angrily upon her.

"I only wanted to know in time," said Lulu. "What you said just now
sounded as if you thought so; for that is the consequence I'll have to
abide if I continue to refuse to take my music-lessons."

"It shall be about as unpleasant as I can well make it, in return for
your impudence," was the furious rejoinder. "Also, you will remain in
your seat during recess to-day."

"O