“So should I,” said Nettie; “I wouldn’t put up with it.  But he has never hurt you as he has Lulu.  See! every one of her fingers is blistered!”

“Yes; it must have hurt terribly.  I don’t wonder she struck him back.”

“Indeed, it wasn’t the pain I cared so much for,” returned Lulu, scorning the implication; “it was the insult.”

“Young ladies,” said a severely reproving voice behind them, “why are you tarrying here?  It is high time you were all on your homeward way.  Miss Rosie Travilla, Miss Evelyn Leland, and Miss Raymond, the Viamede carriage has been in waiting for the last half-hour.”

The speaker was no other than Mrs. Manton, who had entered unperceived by them in their excitement.

No one replied to her rebuke, but there was a sudden scurrying into the cloak-room, followed by a hasty donning of hats and wraps.

Rosie brought up the rear, muttering, as she drew out and glanced at a pretty little watch, “Hardly so long as that, I am sure!”

“Ah, you can’t expect perfect accuracy under such trying circumstances,” laughed Nettie Vance.

“Wait, Lu,” said Evelyn, softly; “let me help you with your cloak, or you will be sure to hurt those poor fingers.”

“How kind you are, Eva!” whispered Lulu, her face lighting up with pleasure as she accepted the offer; “how good to me!  Oh, it is nice to have such a friend as you!”

CHAPTER XVIII.

“For what I will, I will, and there’s an end.”

SHAKESPEAKE.

Max was on the veranda, waiting, like the little gentleman he was, to hand the girls into the carriage.

Hardly were they seated therein and the door closed upon them, when he exclaimed, “Why, what’s the matter?”

“Why do you think anything is?” queried Rosie, with an attempt to laugh.

“Because you all look so excited, and—­what’s your hand wrapped up for, Lu?”

She removed the handkerchief and held the hand out before him.

“Who did that?  Who dared do such a thing to my sister?” he asked hotly, his face crimsoning with anger and indignation.

“Never mind who,” said Lulu.

“Signor Foresti,” said Rosie.  “I hope grandpa will have him fined and imprisoned for it—­such a cowardly, savage attack as it was!”

“I only wish I was big enough and strong enough to flog him well for it,” growled Max, clenching his fists and speaking between his shut teeth.  “If papa were here, I think the cowardly villain wouldn’t escape without a sound drubbing.”

Lulu laughed rather hysterically as she said, “I took the law into my own hands, Max, and punished him pretty well for it, I believe.”

“You did!” he exclaimed in utter astonishment; “how?  I shouldn’t think you had the strength to grapple with him.”

“I didn’t, exactly, but before he knew what was coming I hit him a blow that I think nearly knocked him down;” and she went on to repeat the whole story for Max’s benefit.