But she kept as entirely in the background as she could, not looking at or speaking to any one unless directly addressed.

No one, however, gave her any reason to suppose her agency in the baby’s accident was known; and she returned to Ion with a lighter heart than she had carried with her when she went.

She had not seen the baby yet, since its fall, and though longing to do so, having an ardent affection for the winsome little creature, did not dare to ask that she might.

But as she was about to go into her own room, on reaching home, her father said, “Would you like to go with me to the nursery, Lulu, and see your little sister?”

“Oh, so much, papa, if I may!” she cried eagerly.  “But,” half drawing back, “perhaps she—­will be afraid of me.”

“I trust not,” he said, with emotion.  “I hope she does not know that you had any thing to do with her fall.  Come and see.”

He took her hand, and led her to the nursery.  The baby was awake, sitting in its nurse’s lap, and looking bright, but so much thinner and paler than before her fall, that tears sprang to Lulu’s eyes, and she could scarce refrain from sobbing aloud.

But the little one, catching sight of her, held out its arms, with a joyful cry, “Lu!”

At that, Lulu’s tears fell fast.

“May I take her, papa?” she asked sobbingly, and with an entreating look up into his face.  “I won’t hurt her, I wouldn’t for all the world!”

“You may take her,” he said, his tones a trifle tremulous:  “I am quite sure you would never hurt her intentionally.”

Lulu gladly availed herself of the permission, took the baby in her arms, and sat down with it on her lap.

“Lu, Lu!” the little one repeated in her sweet baby voice; and Lulu hugged her close, kissing her again and again, and saying softly, “You dear, sweet darling; sister loves you, indeed, indeed she does!”

The captain looked on, his heart swelling with joy and thankfulness over the evident mutual affection of the two; for there had been a time when he feared Lulu would never love the child of her step-mother as she did Max and Grace.

Violet entered the room at that moment, and the little scene caused her eyes to fill with tears of gladness.

She was ready for the shopping expedition the next day:  the children were allowed to go too, and again had a most enjoyable time.

After that they were told lessons must be taken up again:  and Lulu passed most of her time in her own room, generally engaged in preparing her tasks for her father to hear in the evening; for he was now so busy with the improvements being carried forward at Woodburn, that very often he could not attend to her recitations till after tea.

She continued to think him the kindest and most interesting teacher she had ever had; while he found, to his surprise, that he had a liking for the occupation, aside from his fatherly interest in his pupil:  and Max and Grace, listening to Lulu’s report, grew anxious for the time when they could share her privileges.