d. When caught, they screamed.

"Well, to be sure," cried their mother; "what behaviour when a lady asks
you to go with her! I declare I am quite ashamed."

Papa now came up, and said--

"My dears, I do not approve such behaviour as this."

Kate began to sob, and Adam followed her example.

"There, now, do not cry," said papa; "I cannot permit you to cry. You
may go with Lady Carse. Lady Carse is so kind as to wish you to go with
her. You will like to go with the lady. Why do you not reply, my
dears. You must reply when spoken to. You will like to go with the
lady--eh?"

"No," murmured Kate.

"No," whispered Adam.

"I am astonished," papa declared. "I never saw them conduct themselves
in this manner before. Did you, my dear?"

"No; but it is an accident, I dare say. Something has put them out."

"I must ascertain the cause, however," papa declared. "Such an incident
must not pass uncorrected. Listen to me, my dears, and answer me when I
ask you a question. Look at this lady."

Kate slowly lifted her eyes, and Adam then did the same. They seemed on
the verge of another scream; and this was not extraordinary; for Lady
Carse was not laughing now, but very far from it. There was something
in her face that made the children catch at mamma's gown.

"Listen to me, my dears," papa went on; "and reply when I ask you a
question. This good lady is going to live with us--"

A deeper plunge into the folds of mamma's gown.

"And from this time forwards you must love this lady. You love this
lady now, my dears, don't you?"

After as long a pause as they dared make, the children said, "No."

"Well, I never heard--!" exclaimed mamma.

"What can possess them?" inquired papa. "My dears, why do you not love
the lady, eh,--Kate?"

"I don't know," said Kate.

"You don't know?--That is foolish. Adam, why do you not love this lady
who is to live with us? Do not tell me that you don't know, for that is
foolish. Why do you not love the lady?"

"Because I can't."

"Why, that is worse still. How perverse," he said, looking at the
ladies, "how perverse is the human heart. My dear, you can, and you
must do what is right. You may love me and your mamma first, and next
you must love this lady. Say you will try."

"I'll try," said Kate.

Adam whimpered a little longer; but then he also said, "I'll try."

"That is right. That is the least you can say after your extraordinary
behaviour. Now you m