ent of me, and gets as mad as a March hare himself while
he's talking about it."

"Well, I'd let him storm and never care a cent."

"Yes, but that isn't all; he beats me dreadfully for the least little
thing, and sometimes for nothing at all. One time he bought a new padlock
for the barn-door and pretty soon it disappeared. He couldn't find it
anywhere, so he called me and asked me what I had done with it. I said I
hadn't touched it, hadn't seen it, didn't even know he had bought one; and
that was the truth. But he wouldn't believe me; he said I must have taken
it, for I was the only mischievous person about the place, and if I didn't
own up and show him where it was, he'd horsewhip me till I did."

"O Max! the wicked old wretch!" cried Lulu, between her clenched teeth.
"What did you do? You couldn't tell a lie!"

"No, I thought I couldn't, Lu; and oh, I'm so ashamed!" said Max, growing
very red and tears starting to his eyes. "But he beat me, and beat me, and
beat me till I thought he'd kill me; and so to stop him at last I said I
took it. But I didn't gain anything, for of course he asked next where it
was, and I couldn't tell him, because I didn't know. So he began again;
but I fainted, and I suppose that scared him and made him stop. He didn't
say anything more about the padlock till weeks afterward it was found in
the hay, and it was clear that I hadn't anything to do with it."

"Oh, the old wretch!" cried Lulu again. "Did he tell you then he was sorry
for having abused you so when you were innocent?"

"No, indeed! not he! He said, 'Well, you didn't deserve it that time, but
I've no doubt you've escaped many a time when you did.'"

"Max, I'd never stand it! I'd run away!" exclaimed Lulu, stopping short
and facing her brother with eyes that fairly blazed with indignation.

"I've thought of that, Lu; I've felt tempted to do it more than once," Max
said with a sigh; "but I thought how papa would feel hearing of it. I'd
rather bear it all than have him feel that his son had done anything to
disgrace him."

"Max, you're better than I am!" cried Lulu with affectionate warmth. "I'd
never have thought of anything but how to get away as fast as possible
from that horrid, horrid beast of a man."

"Papa thinks he's good, and that's the reason he put me with him. Oh, but
don't I wish he knew the truth!"

"I should think the old rascal would be afraid of what papa may do when he
comes and hears all the things you'll