"I couldn't love you any better if you had
given yourself to me in the grandest of wedding-dresses."

"How nice in you to say that!" she exclaimed, laying her head on his
breast and gazing fondly up into his face. "Didn't Captain Raymond look
handsome in his uniform?"

"Yes, indeed; don't you think I have as much reason to envy his appearance
as a groom as you Vi's as a bride?"

"No, indeed!" she cried indignantly, "he's not half so nice as you are! I
wouldn't exchange with her for all the world!"

"Thank you; that's a very high compliment, I think; for I greatly admire
my new brother-in-law," Edward said, with a gleeful laugh, and repeating
his caresses.

CHAPTER XVIII.

"My cake is dough."
--_Shakespeare_.

It was a warm afternoon late in June.

"There! I'm done with lessons for a while anyway, and glad of it too!"
exclaimed Lulu Raymond, coming into Mrs. Scrimp's sitting-room and
depositing her satchel of school-books upon the table.

"So am I, Lu, for now you'll have time to make that new dress for my
dollie, won't you?" Gracie said languidly, from the sofa where she lay.

"Yes, little pet, and ever so many other things. But oh dear! holidays
aren't much after all when you can't go anywhere or have any fun. I do
wonder when we'll see papa again."

"Pretty soon, Lu," cried a boyish voice in tones of delight, and turning
quickly she found Max at the window, wearing a brighter face than he had
shown her for many a day, and holding up a bulky letter.

"O Max!" she cried, "is it from papa?"

"Yes; and I'm coming in to read it to you if you and Gracie are alone."

"Yes, we are; Aunt Beulah's gone out calling and Ann's busy in the
kitchen."

"Then here I am!" he said, vaulting lightly in through the window.

Lulu laughed admiringly. "I'd like to try that myself," she said.

"Oh, don't, Lu!" said Gracie, "Aunt Beulah would scold you like anything."

"Let her scold! who cares!" returned Lulu with a scornful toss of the
head, while Max, who had gone to the side of Gracie's sofa, stooped over
her, and softly patting the thin pale cheek, asked how she felt to-day.

"'Bout the same as usual, Maxie," she said, with a languid smile.

"O Max, hurry and tell us what papa says in the letter!" cried Lulu
impatiently. "Is it good news?"

"First-rate, girls! couldn't be better! He's coming here next week and
going to take us all away with him!"

"Oh! oh! oh! how delightful!" cried Lulu, cla