“And now good-night.  I must not keep you longer from the wife who grudges every moment that you are absent from her side,” she concluded, with a smile as sweet and beautiful as that of her girlhood’s days.

While the captain and his mother-in-law held this little conversation in the upper hall, Zoe and Rosie were promenading the veranda, arm in arm.  They had been talking of Violet and her baby, rejoicing together over its improved condition.

“How dreadful the last two days have been to poor Vi!” exclaimed Rosie, “even in spite of the home-coming of her husband, which has always before this made her so happy.  In fact, it has been a dreadful time to all of us; and nobody to blame except that bad-tempered Lulu.

“At least, so I think,” she added, conscience giving her a twinge; “though mamma says I ought to have let her have my pony, and taken my own ride later in the day, if I wanted one.”

“It would have been more polite and unselfish, wouldn’t it?” queried Zoe, in a teasing tone.  “I dare say it is what mamma herself would have done under the same circumstances.”

“I have no doubt of that,” returned Rosie; “but mamma and I are two very different people.  I can never hope to be as good and unselfish as she is, and always has been so far as I can learn.”

“Ah! but there’s nothing like trying,” laughed Zoe.

“Suppose you tell Lulu that, advising her to undertake the task of controlling her temper.”

“She was quite a good while without an outbreak,” said Zoe; “and really, Rosie, that dog of yours is extremely trying at times.”

“It’s quite trying to me, that I’ve had to send him away, and can’t have him about any more till Lulu’s gone.  I’ll be sorry to have Vi leave Ion, but rejoiced to be rid of Lulu.  I wonder if the captain still intends to send her away?  I sincerely hope so, for Vi’s sake.  Poor little Elsie may be killed outright the next time Lulu has an opportunity to vent her spite upon her.”

“O Rosie! how can you talk so?” exclaimed Zoe. “haven’t you heard that Lulu says she thought it was your dog she was kicking at? and that she has been really sick with distress about the baby?  As to sending her away to be trained and taught by strangers—­her father has no idea of doing it:  in fact,—­so Vi told Ned,—­the conviction that Lulu needed his constant oversight and control had a great deal to do in leading him to resign from the service and come home to live.”

“Then, he’s a very good father,—­a great deal better one than she deserves.  But I’m sorry for Vi and her baby.”

“You needn’t be:  surely the captain should be able to protect them from Lulu,” laughed Zoe.

Rosie laughed too, remarked that it must be getting late; and they went into the house.

* * * * *

“I do wish papa would come for me.  I can’t bear to go down alone to breakfast,” Lulu was saying to herself the next morning, when a light step in the hall without caught her ear:  then there was a tap at the door; and, opening it, she found the lady of the house standing on the threshold.