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.”

“Oh, Lulu,” whispered Evelyn at the first opportunity, “it was not prudent to say what you did to Miss Diana; she will have it in her power to make your life here very uncomfortable.”

“Yes,” Lulu said with indifference, “I expect to have to pay for the pleasure of speaking my mind; but if she makes me uncomfortable, I’ll manage to make her so too.”