THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES A LIST OF THE ELSIE BOOKS AND OTHER POPULAR BOOKS BY MARTHA FINLEY ELSIE DINSMORE. ELSIE'S HOLIDAYS AT ROSELANDS. ELSIE'S GIRLHOOD. ELSIE'S WOMANHOOD. ELSIE'S MOTHERHOOD, ELSIE'S CHILDREN. ELSIE'S WIDOWHOOD. GRANDMOTHER ELSIE. ELSIES NEW RELATIONS. ELSIE AT NANTUCKET. THE TWO ELSIES. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. ELSIE'S FRIENDS AT WOODBURN. CHRISTMAS WITH GRANDMA ELSIE. ELSIE AND THE RAYMONDS. ELSIE YACHTING WITH THE RAYMONDS. ELSIE'S VACATION. ELSIE AT VIAMEDE. ELSIE AT ION. ELSIE AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. ELSIE'S JOURNEY ON INLAND WATERS. ELSIE AT HOME. ELSIE ON THE HUDSON. ELSIE IN THE SOUTH. ELSIE'S YOUNG FOLKS. ELSIE'S WINTER TRIP. ELSIE AND HER LOVED 'ONES. MILDRED KEITH. MILDRED AT ROSELANDS. MILDRED'S MARRIED LIFE. MILDRED AND ELSIE. MILDRED AT HOME. MILDRED'S BOYS AND GIRLS. MILDRED'S NEW DAUGHTER. CASELLA. SIGNING THE CONTRACT AND WHAT IT COST. THE TRAGEDY OF WILD RIVER VALLEY. OUR FRED. AN OLD-FASHIONED BOY. WANTED. A PEDIGREE. THE THORN IN THE NEST. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN BY MARTHA FINLEY NEW YORK DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY PUBLISHERS COPYRIGHT, 1886, BY DODD, MEAD & COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY CHARLES B. FINLEY ELSIES KITH AND KIN. CHAPTER I. " O married love! each heart shall own.- "Where two congenial souls unite, Thy golden chains inlaid with down, Thy lamp with heaven's own splendor bright.** LANGHORNB. "THERE, there, little woman ! light of my eyes, and core of my heart ! if you don't stop this pretty soon, I very much fear I shall be com pelled to join you," Edward Travilla said, be tween a laugh and a sigh, drawing Zoe closer to him, laying her head against his breast, and kiss ing her tenderly on lip and cheek and brow. " I shall begin to think you already regret having staid behind with me." "No, no, no!" she cried, dashing away her tears, then putting her arms about his neck, and returning his caresses with ardor of affection. *' Dear Ned, you know you're more than all the rest of the world to your silly little wife. But it 4 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. seems lonely just- at first, to have them all gone at once, especially mamma ; and to think we'll not see her again for months ! I do believe you'd cry yourself, if you were a girl." " Altogether likely," he said, laughing, and giving her another hug ; "but, being a man, it wouldn't do at all to allow my feelings to over come me in that manner. Besides, with my dar ling little wife still left me, I'd be an ungrateful wretch to repine at the absence of other dear ones." "What a neat little speech, Ned!" she ex claimed, lifting her head to look up into his face, and laughing through her tears for her eyes had filled again. " Well, you know I can't help feel ing a little lonely and sad just at first ; but, for all that, I wouldn't for the world be anywhere else than here in your arms : " and with a sigh of content and thankfulness, she let her pretty head drop upon his breast a gain. " My darling ! may it ever be to you the hap piest place on earth ! God helping me, I shall always try to make it so," he said, with a sudden change to gravity, and in low, moved tones. "My dear, dear husband!" she murmured, clinging closer to him. Then, wiping her eyes, "I sha'n't cry any more ; for, if I'm not the happiest woman in the world, I ought to be. And what a nice time we shall have together, dear Ned ! each wholly de ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. voted to the other all winter long. I have it all planned out : while you are out about the planta tion in the mornings, I'll attend to my housekeep ing and my studies ; and in the afternoons and evenings, after I've recited, we can write our letters, or entertain ourselves and each other with music or books ; you can read to me while I work, you know." " Yes : a book is twice as enjoyable read in that way sharing the pleasure with you," he said, softly stroking her hair, and smiling down into her eyes. " Especially if it is a good story, or a bit of lovely poetry," she added. "Yes," he said: "we'll have both those in turn, and some solid reading besides." " I don't like solid reading," she returned, with a charming pout. "One may cultivate a taste for it, I think," he answered pleasantly. " But you can't cultivate what you haven't got," she objected. "True enough," he said, laughing. "Well, then, we'll try to get a little first, and cultivate it carefully afterward. I must go now, love," he added, releasing her: "the men need some di rections from me, in regard to their work." "And the women some from me," said Zoe. " Oh ! you needn't laugh, Ned," shaking her fin ger at him, as he turned in the door-way to give ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. her an amused glance: " perhaps some of these days you'll find out that I am really an accom plished housewife, capable of giving orders and directions too." ' k No doubt, my dear ; for I am already proud of you in that capacity," he said, throwing her a smiling kiss, then hurrying away. Zoe summoned Aunt Dicey, the housekeeper, gave her orders for the day, and the needed sup plies from pantry and storeroom, they went to the sewing-room, to give some directions to Chris tine and Alma. She lingered there for a little, trying on a morning-dress they were making for her, then re paired to her boudoir, intent upon beginning her studies, which had been rather neglected of late, in the excitement of the preparations for the de parture of the greater part of the family for a winter at Viamede. But she had scarcely taken out her books, when the sound of wheels on the avenue attracted her attention ; and glancing from the window, she saw the Roselands carriage draw up at the front entrance, and Ella Conly alight from it, and run up the veranda steps. " There, I'll not do much studying to-day, I'nj afraid," said Zoe, half aloud; " for, even if it's only a call she has come for, she'll not leave under an hour." She hastily replaced the books in the drawer ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 7 from which she had taken them, for she had a feeling, only half acknowledged even to herself, of repugnance to having Ella know of her stud ies, Ella, who had graduated from boarding- school, and evidently felt herself thoroughly edu cated, and hurried down to meet and welcome her guest. " I told Cal and Art, I thought you'd be sure to feel dreadfully lonely to-day, after seeing everybody but Ned start off on a long journey, and so I'd come and spend the day with you," said Ella, when the two had exchanged kisses, and inquiries after each other's health. "It was very kind and thoughtful in you," returned Zoe, leading the way into the parlor usu ally occupied by the family, where an open wood fire blazed cheerily on the hearth. "Take this easy-chair, won't you?" she said, wheeling it a little nearer the grate ; " and Dinah shall carry away your wraps when it suits you to doff them. I wish cousins Cal and Art would in vite themselves to dine with us too." "Art's very busy just now," said Ella: "there's a good deal of sickness, and I don't believe he's spent a whole night at home for the last week or more." "Dear me! I wouldn't be a doctor for any thing, nor a doctor's wife ! " exclaimed Zoe. "Well, I don't know : there's something to be said on both sides of that question," laughed 8 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. Ella. "I can tell you, Art would make a mighty good husband ; and it's very handy, in case of sickness, to have the doctor in the house." " Yes ; but, according to your account, he's generally somewhere else than in his own house," returned Zoe playfully. Ella laughed. " Yes," she said, " doctors do have a hard life ; but, if you say so to Art, he alwaj^s says he has never regretted having chosen the medical profession, because it affords so many opportunities for doing good. It's plain he makes that the business of his life. I'm proud of Art. I don't believe there's a better man anywhere. I was sick last summer, and you wouldn't believe how kindly he nursed me." " You can't tell me any thing about him that I should think too good to believe," said Zoe. " He's our family doctor, you remember ; and, of course, we are all attached to hirn on that ac count, as well as because of the relationship." " Yes, to be sure. There, Dinah, you may carry away my hat and cloak," Ella said, divest ing herself of them as she spoke, " but leave the satchel. I brought my fancy-work, Zoe : one has to be industrious now, as Christmas is coming. I decided to embroider a pair of slippers for each of my three brothers. Walter does not expect to get home ; so I made his first, as they had to travel so far. I'm nearly done with Art's, and then I have Cal's to do." ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. " Oh, how pretty!" exclaimed Zoe, examin ing the work: " and that's a new stitch; won't you teach it to me? " " Yes, indeed, with pleasure. And I want you to teach me how to crochet that lace I saw you making the other day. I thought it so pretty." The two spent a pleasant morning chatting together over their fancy-work, saying nothing very wise, perhaps, but neither did they say any thing harmful : an innocent iest now and again, something usually laudatory about some mem ber of the family connection, and remarks and directions about their work, formed the staple of their talk. " Oh ! how did it come that you and Ned staid behind when all the rest went to Viamede for the winter? " asked Ella. " Business kept my husband, and love for him and his society kept me," returned Zoe, with a look and smile that altogether belied any suspi cion Ella might have had that she was fretting over the disappointment. " Didn't you want to go? " " Yes, indeed, if Edward could have gone with me ; but any place with him is better than any other without him." "Well, I don't believe I should have been willing to stay behind, even in your place. I've always had a longing to spend a winter there 10 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. visiting my sister Isa, and my cousins Elsie and Molly. Cal and Art say, perhaps one or both of them may go on to spend two or three weeks this winter ; and in that case I shall go along." " Perhaps we may go at the same time, and what a nice party we will make!" said Zoe. " There," glancing from the window, " I see my husband coming, and I want to run out and speak to him. Will you excuse me a moment? " and scarcely waiting for a reply, she ran gayly away. Meeting Edward on the threshold, " I have no lessons to recite this time," she said ; " but yoq are not to scold, because I've been prevented from studying by company. Ella is spending the day with me." ' ' Ah ! I hope you have had a pleasant time together not too much troubled by fear of a lecture from the old tyrant who hears your les sons," he said laughingly, as he bent his head to press a kiss of ardent affection upon the rosy lips she held up to him. " No," she laughed in return : " I'm not a bit afraid of him." Zoe had feared the hours when Edward was unavoidably absent from her side would be very lonely now while the other members of the Ion family were away ; but she did not find it so ; her studies, and the work of making various pretty things for Christmas gifts, keeping he* very busy. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 11 And, when he was with her, time flew on very rapid wings. She had grown quite industrious, and generally plied her needle in the evenings while he read or talked to her. But occasionally he would take the embroidery, or whatever it was, out of her hands, and toss it aside, saying she was trying her eyes by such constant use ; and, besides, he wanted her undivided atten tion. And she would resign herself to her fate, noth ing loath to be drawn close to his side, or to a seat upon his knee, to be petted and caressed like a child, which, indeed, he persisted in calling her. This was when they were alone : but very fre quently they had company to spend the day, afternoon, or evening ; for Ion had always been noted for its hospitality ; and scarcely a week passed in which they did not pay a visit to the Oaks, the Laurels, the Pines, or Roselands. Also a brisk correspondence was carried on with the absent members of the family. And Zoe's housekeeping cares and duties were just enough to be an agreeable variety in her occu pations : every day. too, when the weather per mitted, she walked or rode out with her husband. And so the time \ assed quite delightfully for the first two months after the departure of the Viamede party. It was a disappointment that Edward found himself too busy to make the hoped-for trip to 12 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. Viamede at Christmas-time ; yet Zoe did not fret over it, and really enjoyed the holidays ex tremely, giving and receiving numerous hand some presents, and, with Edward's assistance, making it a merry and happy time for the ser vants and other dependants, as well as for the relatives and friends still in the neighborhood. The necessary shopping, with Edward to help her, and the packing and sending off of the Christmas-boxes to Viamede, to the college-boys, Herbert and Harold, and numerous other relatives and friends far and near, Zoe thought altogether the most delightful business she had ever taken in hand. A very merry, happy little woman she was through all those weeks and months, Edward as devoted as any lover, and as gay and light- hearted as herself. " Zoe, darling," Edward said one day at din ner, " I must drive over into our little village of Union by the way, do you know that we have more than a hundred towns of that name in these United States ? ' ' " No, I did not know, or suspect, that we had nearly so many," she interrupted, laughing: "no wonder letters go astray when people are not particular to give the names of both county and State. But what were you going to say about driving over there? " 44 1 must see a gentleman on business, who will ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 13 be there to meet the five-o'clock train, and leave on it ; and, in order to be certain of seeing him, I must be there at least fifteen or twenty miautes before it is due. Shall I have the pleasure of my wife's company in the carriage? I have ordered it to be at the door by fifteen or twenty minutes past four, which will give us plenty of time, as it is an easy matter to drive from bere to Union in ten minutes." " Thank you," she said. " I accept the irrvi- tation with pleasure, and promise to be ready at the minute." "You are the best little woman about that," he returned, with an appreciative look ^nd smi'e. " I don't remember that you have ever yet kept me waiting, when told beforehand at whi". v . timf I intended to start." "Of course not," she said, with a pleased laugh; "because I was afraid, if I did, I shouldn't be invited so often : and I'm s-wa3'S w glad to go with you." " Not gladder than I am to have you, ' he said, with a very lover-like glance and smile. "I always enjoy your society, and am always proud to show my friends and acquaintances what a dear little wife I have. I dare say I'm looked upon as a very fortunate fellow in that respect, and sometimes envied on account of having drawn such a prize in the matrimonial lottery." 14 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. They had left the table while he spoke, and with the last words he passed his arm round her waist. " Dear me, Ned, what a gallant speech ! " she said, flushing with delight; "you deserve a re ward : " and she held up her face for a kiss. "I am overpaid," he said, when he had be stowed it. " In spite of the coin being such as you have a right to help yourself to whenever you will? " she returned with a merry laugh. " O Ned, my lover-husband! " she added, laying her head on his breast, " I am so happy in belonging to you, and I can never love you enough for all your goodness to me! " " Darling, are you not equally good and loving to me?" he asked in tender tones, and holding her close. " But I owe every thing to you," she re sponded with emotion. "If you had not come to my aid when nry dear father was taken from me, what would have become of me, a mere child, without a near relative in the world, alone and destitute in a foreign land? " " But I loved you, dearest. I sought my own happiness, as well as yours, in asking you to be my wife. So you need never feel burdened by tta idea that you are under any special obliga- 'yon to me, to whom you are the very sunshine of life." ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 15 " Dear Ned, how very kind in you to say so," she responded, gazing with ardent affection into his eyes ; " but it isn't burdensome to be under obligation to you, any more than it is a trial to be ruled by you," she added, with playful ten derness ; " and I love to think of all your good ness to me." It was five minutes past four by Zoe's watch, and she just about to go to her dressing-room to put on her hat and cloak, when visitors were an nounced, some ladies who always made a lengthened call at Ion ; so she at once resigned herself to the loss of her anticipated drive with her husband. " O Ned ! " she whispered in a hasty, vexed aside, " you'll have to go alone." "Yes, dear," he returned; "but I'll try to get back in time to take you a drive in the other direction." They stepped forward, and greeted their guests with hospitable cordiality. They were friends whose visits were prized and enjoyed, though their coming just at this time was causing Zoe a real disappointment. However, Edward's promise of a drive with him at a later hour so far made amends for it, that she could truthfully express pleasure in seeing her guests. Edward chatted with them for a few moments, then, excusing himself cm the plea of business 16 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. that could not be deferred, left them to be enter tained by Zoe, while he entered his waiting car riage, and went on his way to the village, who"* he expected to meet his business acquaintance. CHAPTER H. M The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness.' 1 SHAKSPEAKE. EDWARD had met and held his desired inter view with his business acquaintance, seen him aboard his train, and was standing watching it as it steamed away and disappeared in the distance, when a feminine voice, close at hand, suddenly accosted him. "O Mr. Travilla! how are you? I consider myself very fortunate in finding you here." He turned toward the speaker, and was not too greatly pleased at sight of her. "Ah! good-evening, Miss Deane," he said, taking her offered hand, and speaking with gen tlemanly courtesy. " In what can I be of ser vice to you ? ' ' "By inviting me to Ion to spend the night," she returned laughingly. " I've missed my train, and was quite in despair at the thought of stay ing alone over night in one of the miserable little hotels of this miserable little village. So I was delighted to see your carriage standing there, and you yourself beside it ; for, knowing you to 17 18 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. be one of the most hospitable of men, I am sure you will be moved to pity, and take me home with you." Edward's heart sank at thought of Zoe, but, seeing no way out of the dilemma, " Certainly," he said, and helped his self-invited guest to a seat in his carriage, placed himself by her side, and bade the coachman drive on to Ion. u Now, really, this is very good in you, Mr. Travilla," remarked Miss Deane: "there is no place I like better to visit than Ion, and I begin to think it was rather a fortunate mishap miss ing my train." "Very unfortunate for me, I fear," sighed Edward to himself. ' ' The loss of her drive will be a great disappointment to Zoe, and the sight of such a guest far from making it up to her. I am thankful the visit is to be for only a night." Aloud he said, " I fear you will find it less pleasant than on former occasions, in fact, rather lonely ; as all the family are absent spending the winter at Viamede, my mother's Louisiana plantation except my wife and myself." " Ah ! but your wife is a charming little girl, I never can think of her as a woman, you know, and you are a host in yourself," re turned the lady laughingly. Zoe 'a callers had left ; and she, having donned ELSIE'S KITH AND KUF. 19 hat and cloak, not to keep her husband waiting a single moment, was at the window watching for his coming, when the carriage came driving up the avenue, and drew up at the door. She hurried out, expecting to find no one there but himself, and to be at once handed to a seat in the vehicle, and the next minute be speeding away with him, enjoying her drive all the more for the little disappointment that had preceded it. What, then, was her chagrin to see a visitor handed out, and that visitor the woman for whom she had conceived the most violent antipathy ! "Miss Deane, my dear," Edward said, with an entreating look at Zoe, which she did not see, her eyes being at that instant fixed upcn the face of her uninvited and unwelcome guest. " How do you do, my dear Mrs. Tra villa? I hope you are glad to see me ? ' ' laughed the in truder, holding out a delicately gloved hand : " your husband has played the Good Samaritan to me to-night saving me from having to stay in one of those wretched little hotels in the vil lage till two o'clock to-morrow morning." " I am in usual health, thank you. Will you walk in?" returned Zoe in a freezing tone, and utterly ignoring the offered hand. "Will you step into the parlor? or would you prefer being shown to your room first ? ' ' "The latter, if you please," Miss Deane 20 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. answered sweetly, apparently quite unaware that Zoe's manner was in the least ungracious. " Dinah," said Zoe, to a maid-in- waiting, " show Miss Deane to the room she occupied on her last visit. Carry up her satchel, and see that she has every thing she wants." Having given the order, Zoe stepped out to the veranda where Edward still was, having staid behind to give directions in regard to the horses. " Zoe, love, I am very sorry," he said, as the man turned his horses' heads, and drove away toward the stables. " O Edward ! how could you? " she exclaimed reproachfully, tears of disappointment and vexa tion springing to her eyes. "Darling, I really could not help it," he re plied soothingly, drawing her to him with a caress, and went on to tell exactly what had occurred. "She is not a real lady," said Zoe, " or she never would have done a thing like that." "I agree with you, love," he said; "but I was sorry your reception of her was so extremely ungracious and cold." " Would you have had me play the hypocrite, Ned? " she asked indignantly. " No, Zoe, I should be very far from approv ing of that," he answered gravely : " but while it was right and truthful not to express pleasure Which you did not feel, at her coming, you might, ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 21 on the other hand, have avoided absolute rude ness ; you might have shaken hands with her, and asked after her health and that of her father's family." " I treated her as well as she deserved ; and it does not make her any the more welcome to me, that she has already been the means of drawing down upon me a reproof from my husband's lips," Zoe said in tremulous tones, and turning away from him with her eyes full of tears. " My words were hardly intended as that, little wife," Edward responded in a kindly tone, fol lowing her into the hall, catching her in his arms, and imprinting a kiss on her ruby lips. " And I wanted my drive with you so badly," she murmured, half hiding her face on his breast ; " but she has robbed us of that, and O Ned! is she to come between us again, and make us quarrel, and be so dreadfully unhappy ?" Her voice was full of tears and sobs before she had ended. " No, no ; I could not endure that any more than you," he paid with emotion, and clasping her very close : " and it is only for to-night you will have to bear the annoyance of her presence ; she is to leave in the morning." " Is she? that is some comfort. I hope some body will come in for the evening, and share with us the infliction of her society," Zoe said, con eluding with a forlorn attempt at a laugh. 22 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. " Won't you take off that very becoming hat and cloak, Mrs. Travilla, and spend the even ing? " asked Edward playfully. " Thank you. I believe I will, if you will ac> company me to the dressing-room," she returned, with a smiling look up into his face. "That I will with pleasure," he said, "pro vided you will reward me with some assistance with my toilet." ' ' Such as brushing your hair, and tying your cravat? Yes, sir, I will : it's a bargain." And so, laughing and chatting, they went up to their own private apartments. Half an hour later they came down again to gether, to find Miss Deane in the parlor, seated by a window overlooking the avenue. " There's a carriage just drawing up before your front entrance," she remarked : " the Rose- lands family carriage, I think it is." Zoe gave her husband a bright, pleased look. It seemed her wish for an addition to their party for the evening had been granted. The next moment the room-door was thrown open, and Dr. Conly and Miss Ella were announced. They were cordially welcomed, asked to tea, and staid the evening, greatly relieving Zoe in the matter of entertaining her unwelcome guest, who devoted herself to the doctor, and left Ed ward to his wife and cousin, a condition of things decidedly agreeable to Zoe. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 23 A little after nine the Roselands carriage was announced ; and the doctor and Ella took their departure, Edward and Zoe accompanying them to the outer door. The sky was black with clouds, and the wind roaring through the trees on the lawn. ".We are going to have a heavy storm, I think," remarked Arthur, glancing upward: "there is not a star to be seen, and the wind blows almost a gale. I hope no patient of mine will want the doctor very badly to-night," he added with a slight laugh. " Step in out of the wind, cousin Zoe, or you may be the very one to send for me." Doing as directed, "No, indeed," she said: " I'm sure I couldn't have the heart to call any body up out of a warm bed to face such a cutting wind as this." " No, no ; never hesitate when there is a real necessity," he returned, speaking from his seat in the carriage, where he had already taken his place beside his sister, whom Edward had handed in. " Good-night, and hurry in, both of you, for my sake if not for your own." But they lingered a moment till the carriage turned, and drove swiftly down the avenue. " I am so glad they came," remarked Zoe, as Edward shut the door and locked it for the night. " Yes," he said : " they added a good deal to the pleasure of the evening. As we couldn't be 24 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. alone together, three guests were more accept* able than one." "Decidedly; and that one was delighted, I'm sure, to have an opportunity to exercise her con versational gifts for the benefit of a single man instead of a married one." " Zoe, love, don't allow yourself to grow bitter and sarcastic," Edward said, turning toward her, laying a hand lightly, affectionately, upon her shoulder, and gazing down into her eyes with a look of grave concern. She colored under it, and turned away with a pout that almost spoiled the beauty of her fair face. She was more than ever impatient to be rid of their self-invited guest. "She always sets Ned to scolding me," was the bitter thought in her heart as she went slowly back to the parlor, where they had left Miss Deane, Edward following, sighing inwardly at the change in his darling always wrought by that unwelcome presence in the house. "How the wind roars down the chimney!" Miss Deane remarked as her host and hostess re-entered the room, where she was comfortably seated in an easy-chair beside the glowing grate. " I fear to-morrow will prove a stormy day ; but in that case I shall feel all the more delighted with my comfortable quarters here, all the more grateful to you, Mr. Travilla, for saving me from a long detention In one of those miserable little ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 25 country taverns, where I should have died of ennui." " You seem kindly disposed, my dear madam, to make a great deal of a small service," returned Edward gallantly. But Zoe said not a word. She stood gazing into the fire, apparently lost in thought ; but the color deepened on her cheek, and a slight frown contracted her brows. Presently she turned to her guest, saying cour teously, " You must be weary with your journey, Miss Deane : would you like to retire? " "Thank you, I should," was the reply; and thereupon the good-nights were said, and they sought their respective rooms. "You are not displeased with me, dear? " Zoe asked, lifting her eyes inquiringly to her hus band's face as she stood before their dressing- room fire with his arm about her waist : ' ' you are looking so very grave." " No, dearest, I am not disposed to find fault with you," he said, softly caressing her hair and cheek with his disengaged hand; "though I should be glad if you could be a trifle more cordial to our uninvited guest." " It's my nature to act just as I feel ; and, if there's a creature on earth I thoroughly detest, it is she!" returned the child- wife with almost passionate vehemence. "I know she hates me, for all her purring manner and sweet tones 26 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. and words, and that she likes nothing better than to make trouble between my husband and me." " My dear child, you really must try not to be BO uncharitable and suspicious," Edward said in a slightly reproving tone. " I do not perceive any such designs or any hypocrisy in her conduct toward you." " No : men are as blind as a bat in their inter course with such women ; never can see through their designs ; always take them to be as sweet and amiable as they pretend to be. It takes a woman to understand her own sex." "Maybe so," he said soothingly; "but we will leave the disagreeable subject for to-night at least, shall we not? " " Yes ; and, oh, I do hope the weather to-mor row will not be such as to afford her an excuse for prolonging her stay ! ' ' "I hope not, indeed, love," he responded; "but let us resolve, that, if it does, we will try to bear the infliction patiently, and give our self- invited guest no right to accuse us of a lack of hospitality toward her. Let us not forget or disobey the Bible injunction, to ' use hospitality one to another without grudging.' ' "I'll try not to. I'll be as good to her as I can, without feeling that I am acting insincerely." " And that is all I ask, love. Your perfect freedom from any thing approaching to deceit is ELSIE'S KITH AN9 SIN. 27 one of your greatest charms, in your husband's eyes," he said, tenderly caressing her. " It would, I am sure, be quite impossible for me to love a wife in whose absolute truth and sincerity I had not entire confidence." "And you do love me, your foolish, faulty lit tle wife? " she said, in a tone that was a mixture of assertion and inquiry, while her lovely eyes gazed searchingly into his. " Dearly, dearly, my sweet! " he said, smiling fondly down upon her. "And now to bed, lest these bright eyes and rosy cheeks should lose something of their brilliance and beauty." " Suppose they should," she said, turning slightly pale, as with sudden pain. " ONed ! if I live, I must some day grow old and gray and wrinkled, my eyes dim and sunken : shall you love me then, darling? " " Better than ever, love," he whispered, hold ing her closer to his heart; "for how long we shall have lived and loved together ! We shall have come to be as one indeed, each with hardly a thought or feeling unshared by the other." CHAPTER HI. " One woman reads another's character, without the tedious trouble of deciphering." JONSON. ZOE'S sleep that night was profound and re freshing, and she woke in perfect health and vigor of body and mind ; but the first sound that smote upon her ear the dashing of sleet against the window-pane sent a pang of disappoint ment and dismay to her heart. She sprang from her bed, and, running to the window, drew aside the curtain, and looked out. "O Ned ! " she groaned, "the ground is cov ered with sleet and snow, about a foot deep, I should think, and just hear how the wind shrieks and howls round the house ! " " Well, love," he answered in a cheery tone, " we are well sheltered, and supplied with all needful things for comfort and enjoyment." " And one that will destroy every bit of my enjoyment in any or all the others," she sighed ; "but," eagerly and half hopefully, "do you think it is quite certain to be too bad for her to go?" " Quite, I am afraid. If she should offer to 28 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 29 gp," he added mischievously, " we will not be more urgent against it than politeness demands, and, if she persists, will not refuse the use of the close carriage as far as the depot." " She offer to go ! " exclaimed Zoe scornfully : " you may depend, she'll stay as long as she has the least vestige of an excuse for doing so." " Oh, now, little woman ! don't begin the day with being quite so hard and uncharitable," Ed ward said, half seriously, half laughingly. Zoe was not far wrong in her estimate of her guest. Miss Deane was both insincere and a thoroughly selfish person, caring nothing for the comfort or happiness of others. She had per ceived Zoe's antipathy from the first day of their acquaintance, and took a revengeful, malicious delight in tormenting her ; and she had sufficient penetration to see that the most effectual way to accomplish her end was through Edward. The young wife's ardent and jealous affection for her husband was very evident ; plainly, it was pain to her to see him show Miss Deane the slightest attention, or seem interested in any thing she did or said ; therefore the intruder put forth every effort to interest him, and monopolize his atten tion, and at the same time contrived to draw out into exhibition the most unamiable traits in Zoe's character, doing it so adroitly that Edward did not perceive her agency in the matter, and thought Zoe alone to blame. To him Miss Deane's be- 30 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. havior appeared unexceptionable, her manner most polite and courteous, Zoe's just the reverse. It was so through all that day and week ; for the storm continued, and the uninvited guest never so much as hinted at a wish to leave the shelter of their hospitable roof. Zoe began each da}* with heroic resolve to be patient and forbearing, sweet-tempered and po lite, toward her tormentor, and ended it with a deep sense of humiliating failure, and of having lost something of the high esteem and admira tion in which her almost idolized husband had been wont to hold her. Feeling that, more or less of change in her manner toward him was inevitable ; less sure than formerly of his entire approval and ardent affection, a certain timidity and hesitation crept into her manner of approaching him, even when they were quite alone together ; she grew sad, silent, and reserved : and he, thinking her sullen and jealous without reason, ceased to lavish en dearments upon her, and, more than that, half unconsciously allowed both his looks and tones to express disapprobation and reproof. That almost broke Zoe's heart ; but she strove to hide her wounds from him, and especially from her tormentor. The storm kept Edward in the house : at an other time that would have been a joy to Zoe, but now it only added to her troubles, affording ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 31 constant opportunity to the wily foe to carry out her evil designs. On the evening of the second day from the setting in of the storm, Miss Deane challenged Edward to a game of chess. He accepted at once, and with an air of quiet satisfaction brought out the board, and placed the men. He was fond of the game ; but Zoe had never fancied it, and he had played but seldom since their marriage. Miss Deane was a more than ordinarily skilful player, and so was he ; indeed, so well matched were they, that neither found it an easy matter to checkmate the other : and that first game proved a long one, so long that Zoe, who had watched its progress with some interest in the beginning, eager to see Edward win, at length grew so weary as to find it difficult to keep her eyes open, or refrain from yawning. But Edward, usually so tenderly careful of her, took no notice, indeed, as she said bitterly to herself, seemed to have forgotten her exist ence. Still, it was with a thrill of delight that she at length perceived that he had come off victorious. Miss Deane took her defeat with very good grace, and smilingly challenged him to another contest. " Rather late, isn't it? " he said with a glance at the clock, whose hands pointed to half-past 32 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. eleven. " Suppose we sign a truce until to-mor row ? ' ' " Certainly : that will be decidedly best," she promptly replied, following the direction of his glance. "I feel so fresh, and have enjoyed myself so much, that I had no idea of the hour, and am quite ashamed of having kept my youthful hostess up so late," she added, looking sweetly at Zoe. " Very young people need a large amount of sleep, and can't keep up health and strength with* out it." " You are most kind," said Zoe, a touch of sarcasm in her tones : " it must be a very sympa thetic nature that has enabled you to remember so long how young people feel." A twinkle of fun shone in Edward's eyes at that. Miss Deane colored furiously, bade a hasty good-night, and departed to her own room. " That was a rather hard thrust, my dear," remarked Edward, laughing, as he led the way into their dressing-room ; " not quite polite, I'm afraid." " I don't care if it wasn't ! " said Zoe. " She is always twitting me on my extreme youth." "Sour grapes," he said lightly: "she will never see twenty-five again, and would give a great deal for your youth. And since you are exactly the age to suit me, why should you care a fig for her sneers ? ' ' ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 33 "I don't, when I seem to suit you in all re spects," returned Zoe with tears in her voice. Her back was toward him ; but he caught sight of her face in a mirror, and saw that tears were also glistening in her eyes. Putting his arm round her waist, and drawing her to him, " I don't want a piece of perfection for my wife," he said ; " she would be decidedly too great a contrast to her husband : and I have never yet seen the woman or girl I should be willing to take in exchange for the one belonging to me. And I'm very sure such a one doesn't exist." "How good in you to say it!" she said, clinging about his neck, and lifting to his, eyes shining with joy and love. " O Ned ! we were so happy by ourselves ! " " So we were," he assented, " and so we may hope to be again very soon." " Not so very, I'm afraid," she answered with a rueful shake of the head ; " for just hark how it is storming still ! " "Yes; but it may be all over by morning. How weary you look, love ! Get to bed as fast as you can. You should not have waited for the conclusion of that long game, that, I know, did not interest you." "I was interested for your sake," she said, *' and so glad to see you win." u "Wife-like," he returned with a smile, adding, 34 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. " It was a very close game, and you needn't be surprised to see me beaten in the next battle." "I'm afraid she will stay for that, even if the storm is over," sighed Zoe. "Dear me! I don't see how anybody can have the face to stay where she is 'self -invited, and must know she isn't a welcome guest to the lady of the house. I'd go through any storm rather than prolong a visit under such circumstances." " You would never have put yourself in such a position," Edward said. " But I wish you could manage to treat her with a little more cordiality. I should feel more comfortable. I could not avoid bringing her here, as you know ; nor can I send her away in such inclement weather, or, in deed, at all, till she offers to go ; and your want of courtesy toward her to put it mildly is a constant mortification to me." "Why don't you say at once that you are ashamed of me?" she exclaimed, tears starting to her eyes again, as with a determined effort she freed herself from his grasp, and moved away to the farther side of the room. "I am usually very proud of you," he answered in a quiet tone ; " but this woman seems to exert a strangely malign influence over you." To that, Zoe made no response ; she could not trust herself to speak ; so prepared for bed, and laid herself down there in silence, wiped away a tear or two, and presently fell asleep. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 35 Morning brought no abatement of the storm, and consequently no relief to Zoe from the an noyance of Miss Deane's presence in the house. On waking, she found that Edward had risen before her ; she heard him moving about in the dressing-room ; then he came to the door, looked in, and, seeing her eyes open, said, "Ah, so you are awake ! I hope you slept well ? I'm sorry for your sake that it is still storming." " Yes, I slept soundly, thank you ; and, as for the storm, I'll just have to try to bear with it and its consequences as patiently as possible," she sighed. " A wise resolve, my dear. I hope you will try to carry it out," he returned. " Now I must run away, and leave you to make your toilet, as I have some little matters to attend to before breakfast." She made no reply ; and he passed out of the room, and down the stairs. " Poor little woman ! " he said to himself : " she looks depressed, though usually she is so bright and cheery. I hope, from my heart, Miss Deane may never darken these doors again." Zoe was feeling quite out of spirits over the prospect of another day to be spent in society so distasteful : she lay for a moment contemplating it ruefully. " The worst of it is, that she manages to make me appear so unamiable and unattractive in 36 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. my husband's eyes," she sighed to herself. ''But I'll foil her efforts," she added, between her shut teeth, springing up, and beginning her toilet as she spoke : " he likes to have me bright and cheery, and well and becomingly dressed, and so I will be." She made haste to arrange her hair in the style he considered most becoming, and to don the morning-dress he most admired. As she put the finishing touches to her attire, she thought she heard his step on the stairs, and ran out eagerly to meet him, and claim a morning kiss. But the bright, joyous expression of her face suddenly changed to one of anger and chagrin as she caught the sound of his and Miss Deane's voices in the hall below, and, looking over the balustrade, saw them go into the library to gether. " She begins early ! It's a pity if I can't have my own husband to myself even before break fast," Zoe muttered, stepping back into the aressing-room. Her first impulse was to remain where she was ; the second, to go down at once, and join them. She hastened to do so, but, before she reached the foot of the stairway, the breakfast-bell rang ; and, instead of going into the library, she passed on directly to the dining-room, and, as the other two entered a moment later, gave Miss Deane a ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 37 cold " Good-morning," and Edward a half re proachful, half pleading look, which he, however, returned with one so kind and re-assuring that she immediately recovered her spirits, and was able to do the honors of the table with ease and grace. Coming upon her in that room alone, an hour later, just as she had dismissed Aunt Dicey with her orders for the day, " Little wife," he said, bending down to give her the coveted caress, " ] owe you an explanation." " No, Ned, dear, I don't ask it of you : I know it is all right," she answered, flushing with hap piness, and her eyes smiling up into his. "Still, I think it best to explain," he said. " I had finished attending to the little matters I spoke of, writing a note, and giving some direc tions to Uncle Ben, and was on my way back to our apartments, when Miss Deane met me on the stairway, and asked if I would go into the library with her, and help her to look up a certain passage in one of Shakspeare's plays, which she wished to quote in a letter she was writing. She was anxious to have it perfectly correct, she said, and would be extremely obliged for my assistance in finding it." "And you could not in politeness refuse. I know that, Ned, and please don't think me jeal ous." " I know, dear, that you try not to be ; and it 38 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. shall be my care to avoid giving you the least occasion. And I do again earnestly assure you, you need have no fear that the first place in my heart will not always be yours." " I don't fear it," she said ; " and yet, O Ned ! it is misery to me to have to share your society with that woman, even for a day or two! " " I don't know how I can help you out of it," he said, after a moment's consideration, "unless by shutting myself up alone, to attend to cor respondence or something, and leaving you to entertain her by yourself. Shall I do that? " " Oh, no ! unless you much prefer it. I think it would set me wild to have her whole attention concentrated upon me," Zoe answered with an uneasy laugh. So they went together to the parlor, where Miss Deane sat waiting for them, or rather for Edward. She had the chess-board out, the men placed, and at once challenged him to a renewal of last night's contest. He accepted, of course ; and they played with out intermission till lunch-time, Zoe sitting by, for the most part silent, and wishing Miss Deane miles away from Ion. This proved a worse day to her than either of the preceding ones. Miss Deane succeeded sev eral times in rousing her to an exhibition of tern- ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 39 per that very much mortified and displeased Edward ; and his manner, when they retired that night to their private apartments, was many de grees colder than it had been in the morning He considered himself forbearing in refraining from remark to Zoe on her behavior ; while she said to herself, she would rather he would scold her, and have done with it, than keep on looking like a thunder-cloud, and not speaking at all. He was not more disgusted with her conduct than she was herself, and she would own it in a min ute if he would but say a kind word to open the way. But he did not ; and they made their prepara tions for the night and sought their pillows in uncomfortable silence, Zoe wetting hers with tears befors she slept. CHAPTER IV. M Forbear sharp speeches to her. She's a lady So tender of rebukes, that words are strokes, And strokes death to her." SHAKSPEABB. As we have said, the storm lasted for a week; nd all that time Edward and Zoe ^ere slowly Irifting farther and farther apart. But at last the clouds broke and the sun shone out cheerily. It was about the middle of the forenoon when this occurred. "Oh," cried Miss Deane, "do see the sun! Now I shall no longer need to encroach upon your hospitality, my kind entertainers. I can go home by this afternoon's train, if you, Mr. Travilla, will be so very good as to take or send me to the depot." " The Ion carriage is quite at your service," he returned politely. "Thanks," she said; "then I'll just run up to my room, and do my bit of packing." She hurried out to the hall, then the front door was heard to open ; and the next minute a pier cing shriek brought master, mistress, and ser vants running out to the veranda to inquire the cause. 40 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 41 Miss Deane lay there groaning, and crying out *' that she had sprained her ankle terribly ; she had slipped on a bit of ice, and fallen ; and oh ! when now would she be able to go home? " The question found an echo in Zoe's heart, and she groaned inwardly at the thought of having this most unwelcome guest fastened upon her for weeks longer. Yet she pitied her pain, and was anxious to do what she could for her relief. She hastened to the medicine- closet in search of remedies ; while Edward and Uncle Ben gently lifted the sufferer, carried her in, and laid her on the sofa. Also a messenger was at once despatched for Dr. Conly. Zoe stationed herself at a front window of the drawing-room to watch for his coming. Presently Edward came to her side. "Zoe," he said, " can't you go to Miss Deane?" " What for? " she asked, without turning her head to look at him. " To show your kind feeling." " I'm not sure that I have any." " Zoe ! I am shocked ! She is in great pain." " She has plenty of helpers about her, Chris tine, Aunt Dicey, and a servant-maid or two, who will do all they can to relieve her. If I could do any thing more, I would ; but I can't, and should only be in the way. You forget what a mere child you have always considered me, and that I have had no experience in nursing." 42 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. " It isn't nursing, I am asking you to give her, but a little kindly sympathy." A carriage was coming swiftly up the avenue. "There's the doctor," said Zoe. "You'd better consult with him about his patient ; and, if he thinks my presence in her room will hasten her recovery, she shall have all I can give her of it, that we may get her out of the house as soon as possible." " Zoe ! I had no idea you could be so heart less," he said, with much displeasure, as he turned and left the room. Zoe remained where she was, shedding some tears of mingled anger and grief, then hastily endeavoring to remove their traces ; for Arthur would be sure to step into the parlor, to see her before leaving, if it were but for a moment. She had barely recovered her compo^are when he came in, having found his patient not in need of a lengthened visit. His face was bright, his tone cheery and kind, as he bade her good-morning, and asked after her health. " I'm very well, thank you," she said, giving him her hand. " Is Miss Deane's accident a very bad one ? ' ' " It is a severe sprain," he said : " she will not be able to bear her weight upon that ankle for six weeks." Then seeing Zoe's look of dismay, an# shrewdly guessing at the cause, he hastened ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 43 to add, " But she might be sent home in ail ambulance a few days hence, without the least injury." Zoe looked greatly relieved, Edward scarcely less so. " I can't understand how she came to fall," remarked Arthur reflectively. " Nor I," said Zoe. " Wouldn't it be well for you to advise her never to set foot on that dan gerous veranda again? " Arthur smiled. " That would be a waste of breath," he said, "while Ion is so delightful a place to visit." "How are they all at Viamede?" he asked, turning to Edward. " Quite well at last accounts, thank you,'* Edward replied, adding, with a slight sigh, *' I wish they were here, my mother at least, if none of the others." Zoe colored violently. " Cousin Arthur, do you think I am needed in your patient's room? " she asked. " Only to cheer and amuse her with your pleas- ant society," he answered. "She would find neither pleasure nor amuse ment in my society, " said Zoe; "and hers is most distasteful to me." " That's a pity," 8<*id Arthur, with a look of concern. " Suppose I tend you Ella for a few days? She, T think, wo*)d rather enjoy tak< 44 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. ing the entertainment of your guest off youi hands." "Oh, thank you!" said Zoe, brightening; " that would be a relief: and, besides, I should enjoy Ella myself, between times, and after Miss Deane goes home." " Please tell Ella we will both be greatly obliged if she will come," Edward said. " I'll do so," said Arthur, rising to go ; " but I have a long drive to take, in another direction, before returning to Roselands. And you must remember," he added with a smile, " that I lend her for only a few days. Cal and I wouldn't know how to do without her very long." With that, he took his departure, leaving Ed ward and Zoe alone together. " I am sorry, Zoe, that you thought it neces sary to let Arthur into the secret of the mutual dislike between Miss Deane and yourself," re marked Edward, in a grave, reproving tone. Zoe colored angrily. " I don't care who knows it," she retorted, with a little toss of her head. a floor ; nothing amiss anywhere, so far as I can perceive." They moved on, walking slowly, and inspect' ing carefully as they went, yet finding nothing to mar their satisfaction. They had reached the front of the house, and were about to go in, when a boy on horseback came cantering up the avenue, and handed a telegram to Edward. Tearing it hastily open, "From grandpa," he said. " Ah ! they will be here by the next train ! " " Half a day sooner than they or we ex pected," cried Zoe, half joyfully, half in dismay, struck with a momentary fear that her prepara tions could not be quite complete in season. Edward hastened to re-assure her. "Alto gether, good news, isn't it? "he said. "We can be quite ready, I am sure, and will escape some hours of waiting ; while they will gain time for rest and refreshment before the arrival of the family party who are to gather here from the Oaks, Roselands, the Laurels, and the Pines." ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 113 " Oh, yes, yes ! it is ever so nice ! and I'm as glad as I can be," she cried rapturously. " Now let us make haste to get our breakfast, and then attend to the finishing touches needed by the house and our own persons." "Stay," said Ed Ward, detaining her as she was starting up the steps into the veranda. " We should send word to Fairview, but it will be time enough after breakfast. Suppose we ride over there immediately upon leaving the table, and carry the news ourselves? The air and ex ercise will do you good." "It would be very nice," she returned medi tatively ; " but I'm afraid I shall hardly have time." "Yes, you will," he said. "You can give your orders, and let Christine and Aunt Dicey see them carried out." " But I want my taste consulted in the arrange ment of the flowers," she objected. "Plenty of time for that after we get back," he said. "And I want your help ja. deciding whether every thing is exactly as it should be in the grounds at Fail-view. Shall I order the horses ? ' ' "Yes. I'll go, of course, if you wish it, and enjoy it greatly, I know." They were very gay over their breakfast and during their ride ; for they were young, healthy, happy in each other ; the morning air was deli- 114 ELSIE' 8 KITH AND KIN. cious, and not a cloud was to be perceived in either the natural sky above their heads, or in that of their future ; all was bright and joyous, and they seemed to have naught to do with sor row or care, or any of the evils that oppressed the hearts and darkened the lives of many of their fellow-creatures. Their tidings were received with joy by the re tainers at Fairview, nearly every thing being in readiness for the reception of its master arid mistress. Edward and Zoe had agreed that it was not at all necessary to inform the expected guests of the evening of the change in the hour for the arrival of the home-coming party they intended to welcome. "The meeting will be quite as early as antici pated," remarked Edward; "and it will do no harm for mamma and the others to have a chance to rest a little before seeing so many." "They will enjoy themselves all the better, I'm sure," said Zoe. They were cantering homeward as they talked. Arrived there, Zoe set to work at the pleasant task of adorning the house " mamma's " bou doir in particular with beautiful and sweet- scented flowers, and contrived to be delightfully busy in their arrangement till some little time after Edward had gone with the carriages to meet and bring home the travellers. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 115 All came directly to Ion, except the Fairview family, who sought their own home first, but promised to be present at the evening festivities. The journey had been taken leisurely ; and no one seemed fatigued but the little convalescents, who were glad to be put immediately to bed. " Mamma, dear, dearest mamma ! " cried Zoe, as the two clasped each other in a close embrace. *' I am so, so glad to see you ! " "Tired of housekeeping, little woman?" Elsie asked, with an arch look and smile. " No, mamma, not that, though willing enough to resign my position to you," was the gay re joinder. " But my delight is altogether because you are so dear and sweet, that everybody must be the happier for your presence." "Dear child, I prize and fully return your affection," Elsie said in reply. For each one, Zoe had a joyous and affection ate greeting, till it came to Lulu's turn. At her she glanced doubtfully for an instant, then gave her a hearty kiss, saying to herself, " Though she did behave so badly, I'm sure she had a good deal of provocation." Lulu had noted the momentary hesitation, and flushed hotly under it ; but the kiss set all right, and she returned it as warmly as it was given. 41 It seems nice to see you and uncle Edward again, aunt Zoe ! " she said, " and nice to get back to Ion, though Viamede is so lovely." 116 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. " Yes," chimed in Rosie. " Viamede is almost an earthly paradise, but Ion is the homiest home of the two." Lulu had been on her very best behavior ever since the termination of the controversy between Mr. Dinsmore and herself in regard to her tui tion by Signor Foresti ; and she had returned to Ion full of good resolutions, promising herself, that, if permitted to continue to live at Ion, she would henceforward be submissive, obedient, and very determined in her efforts to control her unruly temper. But was she to be allowed to stay there ? No objection had been raised by any of the family ; but remembering her father's repeated warning, that, if she proved troublesome to these kind friends, he would feel compelled to take her away from Ion, and send her to a boarding- school, she awaited his decision with much secret apprehension. It was quite too soon to look for a response to her confession, written from Magnolia Hall, or a letter from him to her mamma, grandma Elsie, or grandpa Dinsmore, giving his verdict in regard to her ; and, at times, she found the suspense very hard to bear. Thus far, Evelyn Leland had been the sole confidant of her doubts, fears, and anxieties on the subject ; not even Max having been made ac quainted with the contents of either her father's letter to her, or her reply to it. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 117 She had managed to conceal her uneasiness from him, and also from grandma Elsie and Violet ; the time and attention of both ladies being much occupied with the care of the little invalids. But, on the evening of this day, Grace and baby Elsie were fast asleep, the one in bed, the other in her dainty crib, at an early hour; and Violet bethought her of Lulu in connection with the expected assembling of a large family party. " I must see that the child is suitably attired," she said to herself, and, deferring her own toilet, went at once to the little girl's room. She found her already dressed, suitably and tastefully too, and sitting by a window in an attitude of dejection, her elbow on the sill, her hv.-ad on her hand ; but she was not looking out ; her eyes were downcast, and her countenance was sad. "What is the matter, Lulu, dear?" Violet asked in gentle tones, as she drew near, and laid her soft white hand caressingly on the bowed head : " are you sorry to be at home again? " "Oh, no, no, mamma Vi! it's not that. I should be very glad to get back, if I were only sure of being allowed to stay," Lulu answered, lifting her head, and hastily wiping a tear out of the corner of her eye. " But I I'm dreadfully afraid papa will say I can't ; that I must be sent away somewhere, because of having been so discbedient and obstinate." 118 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. "I hope not, dear," Violet said: "you have been so good ever since you gave up, and con sented to do as grandpa wished." "Thank you for saying that, mamma Vi. I have been trying with all my might, asking God to help me too," she added low and rever entially; "but papa doesn't know that, and he has been very near banishing me two or three times before. Oh, I don't know how to wait to hear from him ! I wish a letter would come ! " 4 ' It is almost too soon to hope for it yet, dear child ; but I trust we may hear before very long," said Violet. At that moment there came a little tap at the door; and the sweetest of voices asked, "Shall I come in ? " " Oh, yes, mamma ! " "Yes, grandma Elsie!" answered the two addressed. " I thought our little girl might like some help with her toilet for the evening," Elsie said, ad vancing into the room. "But is any thing wrong? I think you are looking troubled and unhappy, Lulu." Violet explained the cause ; and Elsie said, very kindly, " I don't want you sent away, Lulu, dear. No one could desire a better behaved child than you have been of late ; and I have written to your father to tell him so, and ask that you may stay with us still. So cheer up, and hope for the ELSIE 1 'S KITH AND KIN. 119 best, little girl," she added, with a smile and an affectionate kiss. Lulu had risen, and was standing by Elsie's side. As the latter bent down to bestow the caress, her arms were thrown impulsively about her neck with a glad, grateful exclamation, "O grandma Elsie ! how good you are to me ! I don't know how you could want to keep me here, when I've been so bad and troublesome so many times." " I trust you have been so for the very last time, dear child," Elsie responded. "Think how it will rejoice your father's heart if he learns that you have at length conquered in the fight with your naturally quick, wilful temper, which has been the cause of so much distress to both him and yourself." " I do think of it very often, grandma Elsie," Lulu returned, with a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of her heart. " And I do want to please papa, and make him happy : but, oh, dear ! when something happens to make me angry, I forget all about it and my good resolu tions till it's too late ; the first thing I know, I've been acting like a fury, and disgracing myself and him." " Yet don't be discouraged, or ever give up the fight," Elsie said. " Persevere, using all your own strength, and asking help from on high, and you will come off conqueror at last- ' ' ISO ELSIE S KITH AND KIN. About the same time that this little scene was enacting at Ion, Elsie Leland, passing the door of Evelyn's room, thought she heard a low sob coming from within. She paused and listened. The sound was re peated, and she tapped lightly on the door. There was no answer ; and opening it, she stole softly in. Evelyn sat in an easy-chair at the farther side / / of the room, her face hidden in her hands, aq open letter lying in her lap. "My poor child! Is it bad news?" Elsie asked, going up to the little girl, and touching her hair caressingly. "It is heart-breaking to me, aunt Elsie ; but read and judge for yourself," Evelyn replied, in a voice choking with sobs ; and taking up the letter, she put it into her aunt's hand. Elsie gave it a hasty perusal, then, tossing it indignantly aside, took the young weeper in her arms, bestowing upon her tender caresses and soothing words. " It is hard, very hard for you, dear, I know ; it would be for me in your place ; but we must just try to make the best of it." "Yes," sobbed Evelyn ; "but I could hardly feel more fully orphaned if my mother were dead. And papa has not been gone a year. Oh, how could she ! how could she ! You see, aunt Elsie, she talks of my joining her as soon as I ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 121 m my own mistress ; but how can I ever think of it now?" "We your uncle and I would be very loath to give you up, darling ; and, if you can only be content, I think you may always have a happy home here, with us," Elsie said, with an* other tender caress. " Dear auntie, you and uncle have made it a very happy home to me," returned Evelyn gratefully, wiping away her tears as she spoke, and forcing a rather sad sort of smile. "I should be as sorry to leave it as you could possibly be to have me do so." Evelyn was of a very quiet temperament, rarely indulging in bursts of emotion of any kind ; and Elsie soon succeeded in restoring her to calmness, though her eyes still showed traces of tears ; and her expressive features again wore the look of gentle sadness that was their wont in the first weeks of her sojourn at Fairview, but which had gradually changed to one of cheerful ness and content. "Now, Eva, dear, it is time we were getting ready for our drive to Ion," Elsie said. " Shall I help you change your dress? " "I I think, if you will excuse me, auntie," Evelyn returned, with hesitation, " I should pre fer to stay at home. I'm scarcely in the mood for merry-making." " Of course, you shall do just as you like, dear 12? ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. child,'* was the kindly response; "but it is only to be a family party, and you need not be mixed up with any fun or frolic, I don't suppose there will be any thing of the kind going on, and you will probably enjoy a private chat with your bosom-friend, Lulu. You know, there are plenty of corners where you can get together by yourselves. I think you would find it lonely staying here, and Lulu would not half enjoy her evening without you." "Ycu are right, auntie: I will go," Evelya answered, more cheerfully than she had spoken since reading her letter. "I will dress at once, but shall not need any help except advice about what I shall wear." Elsie gave it, and, saying the carriage would be at the door in half an hour, went back to her own apartments, to attend to the proper adorn ment of her own pretty person. Soon after her little talk with grandma Elsie and mamma Vi, Lulu, still unable to banish the anxiety which made her restless and uneasy, wandered out into the shrubbery, where she presently met Max. "I've been all round the place," he said; " and I tell you, Lu, it's in prime order: every thing's as neat as a pin. Don't the grounds look lovely, even after Viamede? " "Yes," she sighed, glancing round from side to side with a melancholy expression of counte* nance quite unusual with her. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 123 ** What's the matter, sis?" he asked with some surprise : " I hope you're not sick? " "No, I'm perfectly well," she answered; *' but, the prettier the place looks, the sorrier I feel to think I may have to go awa}' and leave it." "Who says you are to go away?" he de manded, "not grandma Elsie, or mamma Vi either, I am sure, for they're both too kind ; and, in fact, I don't believe anybody here wants 10 send you off." "Maybe not," she said, "but I'll have to go if papa says so ; and, O Max ! I'm so afraid he will, because of all that all the trouble be tween grandpa Dinsmore and me about the music- lessons." " I didn't suppose papa had been told about it? " he remarked, half inquiringly. " Yes," she said : "I confessed every bit of it to him in that letter I wrote at Magnolia Hall." "Bully for you!" cried Max heartily. "I knew you'd own up at last, like a brick, as you are." " O Max ! you forget that mamma Vi does not approve of slang," she said. " But I don't deserve a bit of praise for confessing, because I had to. Papa wrote to me that he was sure I'd been misbehaving, though nobody had told him a single word about it, and that I must write at once, and tell him every thing." 124 ELSIE'S KITH AND *' Well, I'm glad you did ; and I hope lie won't be hard on you, Lu. Still, I wouldn't iikfj to be in your place, for papa can be quite severe when he thinks it necessary. I wouldn't fret, though," he added in a consolatory tone, " because there's no use trying to cross the bridge before you come to it, 'specially when you mayn't come at all." *' That's quite true, but it's a great deal easiel to preach than to practise," she said. " Maxie, would you be sorry to have me sent away? " she asked, her voice taking on a beseeching tone. " Why, of course I should," he said. " We've gone through a good deal together, and you know we've always been rather fond of each other, con* sidering that we're brother and sister," he added laughingly. "Ah, here comes Eva!" and ha lifted his hat with a profound bow as a turn in the walk brought them face to face with her. " O Eva ! I'm so glad you've come early ! " exclaimed Lulu. "I too," said Max; "but, if you have any secrets for each other's private ear, I'll be off." "Your company is always agreeable, Max," Evelyn said with a faint smile, "and I should be sorry to drive you away." " Thanks," he said ; " but I'll have to go, for I hear grandpa Dinsmore calling me." He hastened to obey the call ; and the two girls, each putting an arm about the other's waist, paced to and fro along the gravel-walk. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 124 " How is Fairview looking? " asked Lulu. " Lovely : it couldn't be in better order, and there are a great many flowers in bloom. One might say just the same of Ion." " Yes : it is even prettier than Fairview, I havt always thought. But that's a sweet place too ; and aunt Elsie and uncle Lester are delightfui to live with. I only wish I was as sure as you are of such a sweet home." " Don't worry, Lu. I hope your father will let you stay on here," Evelyn said in an affec tionate tone; "but, indeed, I don't think you have any reason to envy me." She ended with so profound a sigh, that Lulu turned a surprised, inquiring look upon her, ask ing, "Have you had any bad news, Eva? I know you have been looking anxiously for a letter from your mother." " Yes, it has come : I found it waiting for me at Fairview, and " She paused for a moment, her heart too full for speech. " And it was bad news? Oh, I am so sorry ! " said Lulu. " I hope it wasn't that she wants you to go away from here unless I have to go too, and we can be together somewhere." "No, it was not that not now. Mamma knows that, because of the way papa made his will, I must stay with uncle Lester till I come of age. She talks of my going to her then ; but I cannot, oh, I never can ! for, Lulu, she's 126 ELSIE'S KITH AND married again, to an Italian count ; and it is not a year since my dear, dear father was taken from us" Evelyn's voice was tremulous with pain, and she ended with a burst of bitter weeping. " Oh, how could she ! " exclaimed Lulu. " J don't wonder you feel so about it, Eva. A hor rid Italian too! " she added, thinking of Signor Foresti. " I'd never call him father ! " "Indeed, I've no idea of doing that," Eva said indignantly. "I only hope he may never cross my path ; and so I feel as if my mother is lost to me. You are far better off than I, Lulu : you have your own dear father still living, and aunt Vi is so lovely and sweet." "Yes, I am better off than you," Lulu ac knowledged emphatically ; " and if I hadn't such a bad temper, always getting me into trouble^ I'd be a giil to be tnvied-" CHAPTER X, LULU'S SENTENCE. PENDING Capt. Raymond's verdict in regard to Lulu, life at Ion fell into the old grooves, for her as well as the other members of the family. Studies were taken up again by all the chil dren, including Evelyn Leland, where they had been dropped ; Mr. Dinsmore and his daughter giving instruction, and hearing recitations, as formerly. This interval of waiting lasted for over two months, a longer period of silence on the part of the husband and father than usual ; but, as they learned afterward, letters had been delayed in both going and coming. Capt. Raymond, in his good ship, far out on the ocean, was wearying for news from home, when his pressing want was most opportunely supplied by a passing vessel. She had a heavy mail for the man-of-war, and a generous share of it fell to her commander. He was soon seated in the privacy of his own cabin, with Violet's letter open in his hand. It 128 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. was sure to receive his attention before that of any other correspondent. With a swelling heart he read of the sore trial she had been passing through, in the severe ill ness of Gracie and the babe. Deeply he regretted not having been there to lighten her burdens with his sympathy and help in the nursing ; and though, at the time of writing, she was able to report that the little sufferers were considered out of danger, he could not repress a fear, amid his thankfulness, that there might be a relapse, or the dread disease might leave behind it, as it so often does, some lasting ill effect. He lingered over the letter, re-reading passages here and there, but at length laid it aside, and gave his attention to others bearing the same post-mark. There was a short one from Max, which stirred his heart with fatherly love and pride in his boy ; that came next after Violet's : then he opened Lulu's bulky packet. He sighed deeply as he laid it down after a careful perusal, during which his face had grown stern and troubled, and, rising, paced the cabin to and fro, his hands in his pockets, his head bowed on his breast, which again and again heaved with a deep-drawn sigh. " What I am to do with that child, I do not know," he groaned within himself. " If I could make a home for her, and have her constantly ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 129 with me, I might perhaps be able to train her up aright, and help her to learn the hard lesson how to rule her own spirit. " I could not do that, however, without resign ing from the service ; and that would be giving up my only means of earning a livelihood for her as well as the others and myself. That is not to be thought of : nor could I forsake the service without heartfelt regret, were I a millionnaire." The captain was a man of prayer. Some mo ments were spent on his knees, asking guidance and help for himself, and a change of heart for his wayward little daughter ; then, again seating himself at his writing-table, he opened yet an other letter, one whose superscription he recog nized as that of a business agent in one of our far Western States. His face lighted up as he read, and a text flashed across his mind : "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer ; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." That sheet of paper was the bearer of most strange, unlooked-for tidings : a tract of wild land, bought by him for a trifle years before, and long considered of little or no value, had sud denly become by the discovery that ft con tained rich mineral deposits, and the consequent opening of mines, and laying out of a town upon it worth many thousands, perhaps millions of money. ISO ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. And he Capt. Raymond was the undisputed owner of it all, of wealth beyond his wildest dreams. He could scarce believe it : it seemed impossible. Yet it was undoubtedly true ; and a bright vision of a lovely home, with wife and chil dren about him, rose up before his mind's eye, and filled him with joy and gratitude to the Giver of all good. He would send in his resignation, and realize the vision at the earliest possible moment. But stay ! could he now, in the prime of life, forsake the service for which he had been edu cated, and to which he had already given many of his best years ? Could he be content to bid a final farewell to the glorious old ocean so long his home, so beautiful and lovable in its varied moods, and settle down upon the unchanging laud, quite reconciled to its sameness? Would he not find in himself an insatiable longing to be again upon the ever restless sea, treading once more the deck of his gallant ship, monarch of her little world, director of all her movements? < It was not a question to be decided in a mo ment ; it required time for thought ; a careful consideration of seemingly conflicting duties ; a careful balancing of inclinations and interests, and for seeking counsel of his best, his almighty and all- wise, Friend. At Ion, as the summer heats approached, the question was mooted, "Where shall we spend ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 131 the next two or three months?" After some discussion, it was decided that all should go North to Cape May for a time : afterward they would break up into smaller parties, and scatter to different points of interest, as they might fancy. Lester and Elsie Leland would spend a portion of the season at Cliff Cottage, Evelyn's old home, taking her and Lulu with them. Edward and Zoe, too, and probably some of the others, would visit there. All necessary arrangements had been made, and they were to start the next cmy, when at last letters were received from Capt. Raymond. Lulu's heart beat very fast at sight of them. She had been full of delight at the prospect of her Northern trip, especially the visit to be paid with Evelyn to her former home ; the latter hav ing in their private talks dwelt much upon its many attractions, and the life she had led there in the sweet companionship of her beloved father. " Would there be any thing in papa's letter to prevent the carrying out of the cherished plans? " Lulu asked herself as, in fear and trembling, she watched Violet opening with eager fingers the packet handed her at the breakfast-table. Max and Gracie, too, looked on with in' v~ quite equal to Lulu's; but in their case ii jfd was only joyous expectancy unmingled with dread. 132 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. " There is something for each of us, as usual," Violet said presently, with a smiling glance from one to another, " Max, Lulu, Grade, and my self." Lulu received hers, only a folded slip of paper, and, asking to be excused, stole away to the privacy of her own room to read it. " MY DEAR LITTLE DAUGHTER [it ran], The story of your misconduct has given a very sad heart to the father who loves you so dearly. I forgive you, my child, but can no longer let you remain at Ion to be a trouble and torment to our kind friends there. I shall remove you elsewhere as soon as I can settle upon a suitable place. In the mean time, if you are truly sorry for the past, you will, I am sure, earnestly strive to be patient, submissive and obedient to those who have you in charge. " Your loving father, "L. RAYMOND." The paper fell from Lulu's hand, and fluttered to the floor, as she folded her arms upon the sill of the window beside which she had seated her self, and rested her head upon them. " And that's all ; just that I am to go away, nobody knows where ; to be separated from Max and Gracie and every one else that I care for : and when papa comes home, maybe he won't visit me at all ; or, if he does, it will be for only a little bit, because, of course, he will want to spend most of his leave where the others are. Oh, dear ! oh, dear ! I wish I'd been good ! I wish ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 133 I'd been born sweet-tempered and patient, like Grade. I wonder if papa will ever, ever let me come back ! " But perhaps grandpa Dinsmore and grandma Elsie will never invite me again. I wouldn't in their place, I'm sure." The captain's letter to his wife made the same announcement of his intentions in regard to Lulu ; adding, that, for the present he would have her disposed of as should seem best to them Mr. Dinsmore, his daughter, and Violet herself npon consultation together ; he had entire confi dence, he said, in then* wisdom and their kind feeling toward his wayward, troublesome, yet still beloved child ; so that he could trust her to their tender mercies without hesitation. He went on to say (and, ah, with what a smile of exultation and delight those words were penned!), that "there was a possibility that he might be with them again in the fall, long enough to find a suitable home for Lulu ; and, in the mean time, would they kindly seize any opportu nity that presented itself, to make inquiries in re gard to such a place ? ' ' Violet read that portion of his letter aloud to her mother and grandfather, then asked if they saw in it any thing necessitating a change in their plans for the summer. They did not, and were glad for Lulu's sake that it was so. 184 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. Lulu, in the solitude of her room, was anxiously considering the same question, and presently went with it to her mamma, taking her father's note in her hand. Finding Violet alone in her dressing-room, giving the captain's missive another perusal, "Mamma Vi," she said, "what what does papa tell you about me?" She spoke hesitat ingly, her head drooping, her cheeks hot with blushes. "I mean, what does he say is to be done with me? " Violet pitied the child from the bottom of her heart. " I wish, dear," she said, "that I could tell you he consented to mamma's request to let us try you here a little longer ; but doesn't he say something about it in his note to you? " " Yes, mamma Vi," Lulu answered chokingly : "he says he can't let me stay here any longer, to be such a trouble and torment to you all, and will put me somewhere else as soon as he can find a suitable place ; but he doesn't say what is to be done with me just now." "No, dear: he leaves that to us, grandpa, mamma, and me, and we have decided that no change in the arrangements for the summer need be made." "O mamma Vi ! how good and kind you all are!" cried Lulu, in a burst of irrestrainable gratitude ; and her tears began to fall. Violet was quite moved by the child's emotion. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 135 ' You have been a dear good girl of late, and we feel glad to take you with us," she said, drawing her to her side, and giving her an affectionate kiss. " Your father says there is a possibility that he may be at home with us again for a while, in the fall ; he expects to settle you somewhere then : but if you continue to be so good, perhaps he may relent, and allow you still to have a home with us. I am quite sure that such a child as you have been for the last two or three months, would be heartily welcome to us all." " It's ever so good in you to say that, mamma Vi," returned the little girl, furtively wiping her eyes ; " and I'm determined to try with all my might. I'd want to do it to please papa, even if I knew there wasn't one bit of hope of his letting me stay. I don't think there is much, because, if he decides a thing positively, he's very apt to stick to it." " Yes, I know ; but he will doubtless take into account that circumstances alter cases," Violet answered lightly, and with a pleasant smile. " And at all events, you may be quite sure that whatever small influence I may possess will be exerted in your behalf." '" I am sure you have a great deal, mamma Vi ; and I thank you very much for that promise," Lulu said, turning to go. But at that instant a quick, boyish step sounded in the hall without; and Max's voice 13S ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. at the door asked, " Mamma Vi, may I come m?" " Yes," she said ; and in he rushed, with a face full of excitement. " Lu, I've been looking everywhere for you ! " he cried. " What do you think? just see that! " and he held up a bit of paper, waving it triumphantly in the air, while he capered round the room in an ecstasy of delight. " What is it? " asked Lulu. " Nothing but a strip of paper, as far as I can see." " That's because you haven't had a chance to examine it," he said, laughing with pleasure. " It's a check with papa's name to it, and it's good for fifty dollars. Now, do you wonder I'm delighted?" " Noj not if it's yours. Did he give it to you?" "Half of it; the other half's to be divided between you and Gracie ; and it's just for pocket- money for this summer." "Oh, that is nice!" exclaimed Violet. "I am very glad for you all." Lulu looked astounded for an instant ; then the tears welled up into her eyes as she said falter- ingly, "I don't deserve it; and I thought papa was so vexed with me, I should never have expected he'd give me a single cent." " He's just a splendid father, that's what he is ! " cried Max, with another bound of exultant delight. " He says that if we go to the moun ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 137 tains, and grandpa thinks I can be trusted with a gun, I'm to have one of the best that can be bought ; and, if I'm a splendid boy all the time, when he comes home I shall have a fine pony of my own." Then sobering down, " I'm afraid, though, that he can't afford all that ; and I shall tell him so, and that I don't want him to spend too much of his hard-earned pay on his only son." " Good boy ! " Violet said with an approving smile ; " but I know it gives your father far more pleasure to lay out money for his children than to spend it on himself." Stilt, she wondered within herself, for a mo ment, if her husband had in some way become a little richer than he was when last he described his circumstances to her. Had he had a legacy from some lately deceased relative or friend? (surely no one could be more deserving of such remembrance) or an increase of pay? But no, he would surely have told her if either of those things had happened ; and with that thought, the subject was dismissed from her mind. He had not told her of his good fortune the sudden, unexpected change in his circumstances : he wanted to keep it secret till he could see the shining of her eyes, the lighting up of her face, as she learned that their long separations were a thing of the past; that in future they would have a home of their own, and be as constantly 138 ELSIE'S KITH AND KI29. together as Lester and Elsie, Edward and Zoe. But his mind was full of plans for making her and his children happy by means of his newly acquired wealth, and he had not been able to re frain from some attempt to do so at once. " I don't want papa to waste his money on me, either," Lulu said. " I'd rather never have any pocket-money than have him do without a single thing to give it to me." " Dear child, I know you would," Violet said. " But take what he has sent, and be happy with it ; that is what he desires you to do ; and I think you need have no fear that he will want for anything because of having sent it to you." " Let me see that, won't you, Maxie?" Lulu asked, following her brother from the room. He handed her the check, and she examined it curiously. " It has your name on it," she remarked. "Yes: it is drawn payable tome," returned Max, assuming an air of importance. " But," said Lulu, still examining it critically, u how can you turn it into money? " "Oh! I know all about that," laughed Max. "Papa explained it to me the last time he was at home : I just write my name on the back of that, and take it to a bank, and they'll give me the fifty dollars." "And then you'll keep half, and divide the ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 189 other half between Grade and me. That will be twelve dollars and fifty cents for each of us, won't it?" " No, it isn't to be divided equally : papa says you are to have fifteen dollars, and Gracie ten, because you are older than she is, you know." "But she's better, and deserves more than I," said Lulu. "Anyway, she shall have half, if she wants it." "No, she doesn't," said Max. "I told her about it ; and she thinks ten dollars, to do just what she pleases with, is a great fortune." " When will you get it, Max? " "What, the money? Not till after we go North. Grandpa Dinsmore says it will be best to wait till then, as we won't care to spend any of it here. O Lu ! you are going along, I sup pose ? what does papa say about about what you told him in your last letter ? ' ' "You may read for yourself, Max," replied Lulu, putting the note into his hand. She watched his face while he read, and knew by its expression that he was sorry for her, even before he said so, as he handed it back. " But perhaps papa may change his mind, if you keep on being as good as you have been ever since you left that school." he added. " But you haven't told me yet whether you are still to go North with us, or not." " Tea : mamma Vi says I am. She says papa 140 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. says in his letter to her, that they may do what they think best with me for the present: and they will take me along. It's good in them, isn't it?" To that Max gave a hearty assent. " They are the kindest people in the world," he said. CHAPTER XL How terrible is passion 1 " Tm iiViaimer passed quickly and pleasantly to our frkmds of Ion and Fairview. The plans they had made for themselves before leaving home were carried out, with, perhaps, some slight variations. Lulu had her greatly desired visit to Cliff Cot tage, and enjoyed it nearly as much as she had hoped to ; a good deal less than she would if she could have quite forgotten her past misconduct, and its impending consequences. As matters stood, she could seldom entirely banish the thought that the time was daily draw ing nearer when her father's sentence would be carried out, to her sad exclusion from the pleas ant family circle of which she had now been so long a member. She experienced the truth of the saying, that blessings brighten as they take their flight, and would have given much to undo the past, so that she might prove herself worthy of a continuance of those she had rated so far below their rea) 141 142 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. value, that, in spite of her father's repeated warnings, she had wantonly thrown them away. She kept her promise to Violet, and strove earnestly to deserve a repeal of her sentence, though her hope of gaining it was very faint. All summer long she had exercised sufficient control over her temper to avoid any outbursts of passion, and generally had behaved quite amiably. By the 1st of October the two families were again at home at Ion and Fairview, pursuing the even tenor of their way, Lulu with them, as of old, no new home having yet been found for her. No one had cared to make much effort in that direction. It was just as well, Mr. Dinsmore, Elsie his daughter, and Violet thought, simply to let things take their course till her father should return, and take matters into his own hands. There was no certainty when that would be : his letters still alluded to his coming that fall as merely a possibility. But Lulu had been so amiable and docile for months past, that no one was in haste to be rid of her presence. Even Rosie was quite friendly with her, had ceased to tease and vex her ; and mutual forbearance had given each a better opin ion of the other than she had formerly enter tained. But Lulu grew self-confident, and began to ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 143 relax her vigilance : it was so long since her temper had got decidedly the better of her, that she thought it conquered, or so nearly so that she need not be continually on the watch against it. Rosie had brought home with her a new pet, a beautiful puppy as mischievous as he was hand some. Unfortunately it happened again and again that something belonging to Lulu attracted his attention, and was seriously damaged or totally destroyed by his teeth and claws. He chewed up a pair of kid gloves belonging to her ; and it did not mend matters that Rosie laughed as though it were a good joke, and then told her it was her own fault for not putting them in their proper place when she took them off : he tore her garden-hat into shreds ; he upset her inkstand ; tumbled over her work-basket, tangling the spools of sewing-silk and cotton ; jumped upon her with muddy paws, soiling a new dress and handsome sash ; and at last capped the climax by defacing a book of engravings, belonging to Mr. Dins- more, which she had carelessly left in his way. Then her anger burst forth, and she kicked the dog till his howls brought Rosie running to the rescue. "How dare you, Lulu Raymond!" she ex claimed, with flashing eyes, as she gathered Trip in her arms, and soothed him with caresses. 144 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. " I'll not allow my pet to be so ill used in my own mother's house ! " " He deserves a great deal more than I gave him," retorted Lulu, quivering with passion; "and if you don't want him hurt, you'll have to keep him out of mischief. Just look what he has done to this book ! " " One of grandpa's handsome volumes of engravings!" cried Rosie, aghast. "But who left it lying there?" "I did," " Then you are the one to blame, and not my poor little Trip, who, of course, knew no better. How is he to tell that books are not meant for gnawing quite as much as bones? " "What is the matter, children?" asked Mr. Diusmore, stepping out upon the veranda where the little scene was enacting. " It surprises me to hear such loud and angry tones." For a moment each girlish head drooped in eilence, hot blushes dyeing their cheeks ; then Lulu, lifting hers, said, " I'm very sorry, grand pa Dinsmore. I oughtn't to have brought this book out here ; but it wouldn't have come to any harm if it hadn't been for that troublesome dog, that's as full of mischief as he can be. I don't believe it was more than five minutes that I left the book lying there on the settee ; and when I ran back to get it, and put it away in its place, he had torn out a leaf, and nibbled and soiled the cover, as you see. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 145 ' .But, if you'll please not be angry, I'll save op all my pocket-money till I can buy you an other copy." "That would take a good while, child," Mr. Dinsmore answered. "It is a great pity you were so careless. But I'll not scold you, since you are so penitent, and so ready to make all the amends in your power. Rosie, you really must try to restrain the mischievous propensities of your pet." "I do, grandpa," she said, flashing an angry glance at Lulu ; " but I can't keep him in sight every minute ; and, if people will leave things in his way, I think they are more to blame than he is if he spoils them." "Tut, tut! don't speak to me in that man ner," said her grandfather. " If your dog con tinues to damage valuable property, he shall be sent away." Rosie made no reply, but colored deeply as she turned and walked away with her pet in her arms. "Now, Lulu," said Mr. Dinsmore, not un kindly, ' ' remember that in future you are not to bring a valuable book such as this, out here. If you want to look at them, do so in the library." " Yes, sir, I will. I'm very sorry about that ; but if you'll tell me, please, how much it would cost to buy another just like it, I'll write to papa, and I know he will pay for it." 146 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. "I thought you proposed to pay for it youn self," remarked Mr. Dinsmore grimly. " Yes, sir ; but I don't wish to keep you wait- tng ; papa wouldn't wish it. He sends his chil dren pocket-money every once in a while, and I'd ask him to keep back what he considered my share till it would count up to as much as the price of the book." " Well, child, that is honorable and right," Mr. Dinsmore said in a pleasanter tone ; " but I think we will let the matter rest now till your father comes, which I trust will be before a very great while." Rosie, knowing that her grandfather was quite capable of carrying out his threat, lacking neither the ability nor the will to do so, curtailed the lib erty of her pet, and exerted herself to keep him out of mischief. Still, he occasionally came in Lulu's way, and when he did was very apt to receive a blow or kick. He had a fashion of catching at her skirts with his teeth, and giving them a jerk, which was very exasperating to her all the more so, that Rosie evidently enjoyed seeing him do it. A stop would have been put to the " fun " if the older people of the family had happened to be aware of what was going on ; but the dog al ways seemed to seize the opportunity when nona of them were by, and Lulu scorned to tell tales. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 147 One morning, about a week after the accident to the book, Lulu, coming down a little before the ringing of the breakfast-bell, found Max on the veranda. " Don't you want to take a ride with me after breakfast, Lu? " he asked. " Mamma Vi says I can have her pony ; and, as Rosie doesn't care to go, of course you can ride hers." " How do you know Rosie doesn't want to ride?" asked Lulu. " Because I heard her tell her mother she didn't ; that she meant to drive ovu- to Rose- lands with grandpa Dinsmore instead ; that he had told her he expected to go there to see Cal about some business matter, and would take her with him. So you see, her pony won't be wanted ; and grandma Elsie has often said we could have it whenever it wasn't in use or tired, and of course it must be quite fresh this morning." " Then I'll go," said Lulu with satisfaction ; for she was extremely fond of riding, especially when her steed was Rosie's pretty, easy-going pony, Gyp. So Max ordered the two ponies to be in readi ness ; and, as soon as breakfast was over, Lulu hastened to her room to prepare for her ride. But in the mean time Mr. Diusmore had told Rosie he had, for some reason, changed his plans, and should wait till afternoon to make his call a* Roselands. 148 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. Then Rosie, glancing from the window, and seeing her pony at the door, ready saddled and bridled, suddenly decided to take a ride, ran to her room, donned riding hat and habit, and was down again a little in advance of Lulu. Max, who was on the veranda, waiting for his sister, felt rather dismayed at sight of Rosie, as she came tripping out in riding-attire. " O Rosie ! excuse me," he said. "I heard you say you were going to drive to Roselands with your grandpa, and so, as I was sure you wouldn't be wanting your pony, I ordered him saddled for Lu." " That happened very well, because he is here now all ready for me," returned Rosie, laughing, as she vaulted into the saddle, hardly giving Max a chance to help her. " Lu can have him another time. Come, will you go with me? " For an instant Max hesitated. He did not like to refuse Rosie's request, as she was not allowed to go alone outside the grounds, yet was equally averse to seem to desert Lu. "But," he thought, "she's sure to be in a passion when she finds this out, and I can't bear to see it." So he sprang upon his waiting steed ; and as Lulu, ready dressed for her ride, and eager to take it, stepped out upon the veranda, she just caught a glimpse of the two horses and their riders disappearing down the avenue. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 14U She turned white with anger at the sight, and stamped her foot in fury, exclaiming between her clinched teeth, "It's the meanest trick I ever saw ! " There were several servants standing near, one of them little Elsie's nurse, an old negress, Aunt Dinah, who, having lived in the family for more than twenty years, felt herself privileged to speak her mind upon occasion, particularly to its younger members. "Now, Miss Lu," she said, "dat's not de propah way fo' you to talk 'bout dis t'ing ; kase dat pony b'longs to Miss Rosie, an' co'se she hab de right to ride him befo' anybody else." " You've no call to put in your word, and I'm not going to be lectured and reproved by a ser vant ! ' ' retorted Lulu passionately ; and turning quickly away, she strode to the head of the short flight of steps leading down into the avenue, and stood there leaning against a pillar, with her back toward the other occupants of the veranda. Her left arm was round the pillar, and in her right hand she held her little riding- whip. She was angry at Dinah, furiously angry at Rosie ; and when the next minute something Rosie's dog, she supposed tugged at ler skirts, she gave a vicious backward kick without turn ing her head. Instantly a sound of something falling, accom panied by a faint, frightened little cry, and 150 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN- chorus of shrieks of dismay from older voice* flashed upon her the terrible knowledge that aJia had sent her baby sister rolling down the steps to the hard gravel-walk below. She clutched at her pillar, almost losing cocr sciousness for one brief moment, in her dreadful fright. Violet's agonized cry, as she ca/r>/ rushing from the open doorway, "My biby! oh, my baby! she's killed!" roused her; and aae saw Dinah pick up the little creature froi/i the ground, and place it in its mother's arms*, where it lay limp and white, like a dead thing, without sense or motion ; the whole household, young and old, black and white, gathering round in wild excite ment and grief. No one so much as glanced at her, or seemed to think of her at all : their attention was wholly occupied with the injured little one. She shuddered as she caught a glimpse of its deathlike face, then put her hand over her eyea to shut out the fearful sight. She felt as if she were turning to stone with a sense of the awful thing she had done in her mad passion ; then suddenly seized with an overwhelming desire to hide herself from all these eyes, that would pres ently be gazing accusingly and threateningly at her, she hurried away to her own room, aud shut und locked herself in. Her riding-whip was still in her huud She ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN, 151 tossed it on to the window-sill, tore off her gloves, hat, and habit, and threw them aside, then, drop ping on her knees beside the bed, buried her face in the clothes, sobbing wildly, " Oh, I've killed my little sister ! my own dear little baby sister ! What shall I do? what shall I do? " Moments passed that seemed like hours : faint sounds came up from below. She heard steps and voices, and, "Was that mamma Vi crying, crying as if her heart would break? saying ovei and over again, ' My baby's dead ! my baby's dead ! killed by her sister, her cruel, passionate sister! ' Would they come and take her (Lulu) to jail ? Would they try her for murder, and hang her? Oh ! then papa's heart would break, losing two of his children in such dreadful ways. " Oh ! wouldn't it break anyhow when he heard what she had done, when he knew the baby was dead, and that she had killed it, even if she should not be sent to prison, and tried for murder?" At length some one tried the door ; and a little, sobbing voice said, " Lulu, please let me in." She rose, staggered to the door, and unlocked it. "Is it only you, Gracie?" she asked in \ terrified whisper, opening it just far enough to admit the little slender figure. "Yes: there's nobody else here," said the child. " I came to tell you the baby isn't dead ; but the doctor has come, and, I believe, he 152 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. doesn't feel sure she won't die. O Lu! how could you? " she asked with a burst of sobs. "O Grade! I didn't do it on purpose! how could you think so? I mean, I didn't know it was the baby: I thought it was that hateful dog." " Oh, I'm glad ! I couldn't b'lieve it, though some of them do! " exclaimed Gracie in a tone of relief. Then, with a fresh burst of tears and sobs/ " But she's dreadfully hurt, the dear little thing ! I heard the doctor tell grandpa Dinsmore he was afraid she'd never get over it ; but he mustn't let mamma know yet, 'cause maybe she might." Lulu paced the room, wringing her hands and sobbing like one distracted. " O Gracie I " she cried, "I'd like to beat my self black and blue ! I just hope papa will come home and do it, because I ought to be made to suffer ever so much for hurting the baby so." " O Lu, no ! " cried Gracie, aghast at the very idea. " It wouldn't do the baby any good. Oh, I hope papa won't whip you ! " "But he will! I know he will; and he ought to," returned Lulu vehemently. " Oh, hark ! " She stood still, listening intently, Grace doing the same. They had seemed to hear a familiar Btep that they had not heard for man}' a long month , yes, there it was again : and with a low ry of joy, Grace bounded to the door, threw i* ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN, 153 open, but closed it quickly behind her, and sprang into her father's arms. "My darling, my precious little daughter!" he said, clasping her close, and showering kisses on her face. " Where is every one? you are the first I have seen, and why, how you have been crying ! What is wrong ? " " O papa ! the baby the baby's most killed," she sobbed. "Come, I'll take you to her and mamma ! " Fairly stunned by the sudden dreadful an nouncement, he silently submitted himself to her guidance, and suffered her to lead him into the nursery, where Violet sat in a low chair with the apparently dying babe on her lap, her mother, grandfather and his wife, and the doctor, grouped about her. No one noticed his entrance, so intent were they all upon the little sufferer ; but just as he gained her side, Violet looked up, and recognized him with a low cry of mingled joy and grief. " O Levis, my husband ! Thank God that you have come in time to see her alive." He bent down and kissed the sweet, tremulous lips, his features working with emotion. "My wife, my dear love, what what is this? what ails our little one?" he asked in anguished ac cents, turning his eyes upon the waxen baby face ; and, bending still lower, he softly touched his lips to its forehead. 154 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. No one replied to his question ; and gazing with close scrutiny at the child, " She has been hurt?" he said, half in assertion, half inquir ingly- "Yes, captain," said Dr. Conly: "she has had a fall, a very severe one for so young and tender a creature." " How did it happen? " he asked, in tones of mingled grief and sternness. No one answered ; and after waiting a moment, he repeated the question, addressing it directly to his wife. " Oh, do not ask me, love ! " she said entreat- ingly, and he reluctantly yielded to her request ; but light began to dawn upon him, sending an added pang to his heart ; suddenly he remem bered Lulu's former jealousy of the baby, her displeasure at its birth ; and with a thrill of hor ror, he asked himself if this could be her work. He glanced about the room in search of her and Max. Neither was there. He passed noiselessly into the next room, then into the one beyond, his wife's boudoir, and there found his son. Max sat gazing abstractedly from a window, his eyes showing traces of tears. Turning his head as the captain entered, he started up with a joyful but subdued cry, *'Papa!" then threw himself with bitter sob- ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 155 bing into the arms outstretched to receive him. "My boy, my dear boy!" the captain said, in moved tones. "What is this dreadful thing that has happened ? Can you tell me how your baby sister came to get so sad a fall? " "I didn't see it, papa: I was out riding at the time." 4 ' But you have heard about it from those who did see it?" "Yes, sir," the lad answered reluctantly; "but please, papa, don't ask me what they said." " Was Lulu at home at the tune? " " Yes, sir." " Would she be able to tell me all about it, do you think ? ' ' " I haven't seen her, papa, since I came in," Max answered evasively. The captain sighed. His suspicions had deep ened to almost certainty. "Where is she?" he asked, releasing Max from his embrace, and turning to leave the room. " I do not know, papa," answered Max. ' ' Where was the baby when she fell ? can you tell me that? " asked his father. "On the veranda, sir: so the servants told me." "Which of them saw it?" 156 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. " Aunt Dinah, Agnes, Aunt Dicey, nearly afl the women, I believe, sir." The captain mused a moment. " Was Lulu there? " he asked. " Yes, sir ; and papa, if you must know just how it happened, I think she could tell you all about it as well as anybody else, or maybe better. And you know she always speaks the truth." " Yes," the captain said, as if considering the suggestion : " however, I prefer to hear the story first from some one else." He passed on through the upper hall and down the stairs, then on out to the veranda, where he found a group of servants of whom Aunt Dicey was one excitedly discussing the very occurrence he wished to inquire about. They did not share the reluctance of Violet and Max, but answered his questions promptly, with a very full and detailed account of the affair. They gave a graphic description of the rage Lulu was thrown into at the sight of Rosie gal loping away on the pony she had expected to ride, repeated her angry retort in reply to Aunt Dinah's reproof, and told, without any extenua tion of the hard facts, how the baby girl, escap ing from her nurse's watchful care for a moment, had toddled along to her sister, caught at her skirts for support, and received a &uvage kick, ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 157 that sent her down the steps to the gravel-walk below. The captain heard the story with ever increas ing, burning indignation. Lulu's act seemed the very wantonness of cruelty, a most cowardly attack of a big, strong girl upon a tiny, helpless creature, who had an indisputable claim upon her tenderest protecting care. By the time the story had come to an end, he was exceedingly angry with Lulu ; he felt that in chis instance it would be no painful task to him to chastise her with extreme severity ; in fact, he dared not go to her at once, lest he should do her some injury ; he had never yet punished a child in anger ; he had often resolved that he never would, but would always wait till the feeling of love for the delinquent was uppermost in his heart, so that he could be entirely sure his mo- Ive was a desire for the reformation of the of fender, and not the gratification of his own passion. Feeling that he had a battle to fight with him self ere he dared venture to discipline his child, and that he must have solitude for it, he strode away down the avenue, turned into a part of the grounds but little frequented, and there paced back and forth, his arms folded on his breast, his head bent, his heart going up in silent prayer for strength to rule his own spirit, for patience and wisdom according to hia need. 158 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. Then he strove to recall all that was lovable about his wayward little daughter, and to think of every possible excuse for the dreadful deed she had done, yet without being able to find any that deserved the name. At length, feeling that the victory was at least partially won, and filled with anxiety about the baby, he began to retrace his steps toward the house. In the avenue, he met Edward and Zoe, who greeted him with joyful surprise, not having be fore known of his arrival. The expression of his countenance told them that he was already informed of the sad occur rence of the morning ; and Edward said with heart-felt sympathy, " It is but a sad home-com ing for you, captain, but let us try to hope for the best : it is possible the little darling has not received any lasting injury." A silent pressure of the hand was the captain's only reply for the moment. He seemed too much overcome for speech. " Such a darling as she is ! " said Zoe ; " the pet of the whole house, and just the loveliest little creature I ever saw." "Did you either of you see her fall?" asked the captain huskily. " Yes," said Zoe, " I did. Violet and I hap pened to be at the window of the little reception- room overlooking the veranda, and were watching KITH AND KIN. 159 Ae little creature as she toddled along, and " But Zoe paused, suddenly remembering that her listener was the father of Lulu as well as of her poor little victim. " Please go on," he said with emotion. *' What was it that sent her down the steps?" " Lulu was standing there," Zoe went on, hesitating, and coloring with embarrassment, ' ' and I saw the baby-hands clutch at her skirts ' ' Again she paused. " And Lulu, giving the tender, toddling thing a savage kick, caused the dreadful catastrophe? " he groaned, turning away his face. " You need lot have feared to tell me. I had already heard it from the servants who were eye-witnesses, and I only wanted further and undoubtedly reliable testimony." "I think," said Edward, "that Lulu really had no idea what it was she was kicking at. I happened to be out in the grounds, and coming round the corner of the house just in time to catch her look of horror and despair as she half turned her head and saw the baby fall." " Thank you," the captain said feelingly. 44 It is some relief to her unhappy father to learn rf the least extenuating circumstance." CHAPTER XH. ' a Anger restcth in the bosom of fools." ECCLES. vi!.9 " Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but th rod of correction shall drive it far from him." PROV. xxii. 15. " HE seems to feel terribly about it, poor man ! " remarked Zoe with a backward glance at the retreating form of Capt. Raymond, as he left them and pursued his way to the house. " Yes, and no wonder," said Edward. " Not for worlds would I be the father of such a child as Lulu ! " " Nor I her mother," said Zoe. "So I'm glad it was you I got for a husband instead of Capte Raymond." "Only for that reason?" he queried, facing vound upon her in mock astonishment and wrath. " Oh, of course ! " she returned, laughing, then sobering down with a sudden recollection of the sorrow in the house. " But, O Ned ! how heart less we are to be joking and laughing when poor Vi and the captain are in such distress ! " "I'm afraid } T OU are right," he assented with a sigh. *' Yet I am quite sure we both feel 160 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 161 deeply for them, and are personally grieved for the injury to our darling little niece." "Yes, indeed! the pretty pet that she is!'* returned Zoe, wiping her eyes. Gracie was on the veranda looking for her father, and, catching sight of him in the avenue, ran to meet him. "How is baby now? Can you tell me?" he asked, taking her hand, and stooping to give her a kiss. "Just the same, I suppose, papa," she said. " Oh, it's very hard to see it suffer so ! isn't it, papa? " He nodded a silent assent. "Papa," she asked, lifting her tearful eyes to his face with a pleading look, " have you seen Lulu yet?" "No." " O papa ! do go now ! It must be so hard for her to wait so long to see you, when you've just come home." "I doubt if she wants to see me," he said, with some sternness of look and tone. " O dear papa ! don't punish her very hard. She didn't hurt the baby on purpose." "I shall try to do what is best for her, my little girl, though I very much doubt if that is exemption from punishment," he said with an involuntary sigh. " But if she is in haste to see me," he added, "there is nothing, so far as I 162 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. am aware, to prevent her from coming to me." " But she's afraid, papa, because she has been so very, very naughty." " In that case, is it not kinder for me to keep away from her?" " O papa ! you know she always wants things bad things over." "The bad thing she has brought upon the poor baby will not be over very soon," he said sternly. "I must go now to it and your mamma." He did so ; and sharing Violet's deep grief and anxiety, and perceiving that his very pres ence was a comfort and support to her, he re mained at her side for hours. Hours, that to Lulu seemed like weeks or months. Alone in her room, in an agony of re morse and fear, she waited and watched and listened for her father's coming, longing for, and yet dreading it, more than words could express. " What would his anger be like?" she asked herself. "What terrible punishment would he inflict? Would he ever love her again, especially if the baby should die ? ' ' Perhaps he would send her away to some very far-off place, and never, never come near her any more." Naturally of a very impatient temperament, suspense and passive waiting were well-nigh in* ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 163 tolerable to her. By turns she walked the floor, fell on her knees by the bedside, and buried her face in a pillow, or threw herself into a chair by table or window, and hid it on her folded arms. "Oh ! would this long day, this dreadful, dread ful waiting for what? ever come to an end?" she asked herself over and over again. Yet, when at last the expected step drew near, she shuddered, trembled, and turned pale with affright, and, starting to her feet, looked this way and that with a wild impulse to flee : then, as the door opened, she dropped into her chair again, and covered her face with her shaking hands. She heard the door close : the step drew nearer, nearer, and stopped close at her side. She dared not look up, but felt her father's eyes gaz ing sternly upon her. "Miserable child!" hj said at length, "do you know what your terrible temper has wrought ? that in your mad passion you have nearly or quite killed your little sister? that, even should she live, she may be a life-long sufferer, in con sequence of your fiendish act?" "O papa, don't!" she pleaded in broken ac cents, cowering and shrinking as if he had struck her a deadly blow. " You deserve it," he said : " indeed, I could not possibly inflict a worse punishment than your conduct merits. But what is the use of punish ing you ? nothing reforms you ! I am in desoaii 164 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. of you ! You seem determined to make yourself a curse to me instead of the blessing I once esteemed you.' What am I to do with you? Will you compel me to cage or chain you up like a wild beast, lest you do some one a fatal injury?" A cry of pain was her only answer, and he turned and left the room. "Oh!" she moaned, "it's worse than if he had beaten me half to death ! he thinks I'm too bad, even to be punished ; because nothing will make me good : he says I'm a curse to him, so he must hate me ; though he used to love me dearly, and I loved him so too ! I suppose everybody hates me now, and always will. I wish I was dead and out of their way. But, oh ! no, I don't ; for I'm not fit to die. Oh ! what shall I do ? I wish it was I that was hurt instead of the baby. I'd like to go away and hide from every body that knows me ; then I shouldn't be a curse and trouble to papa or any of them." She lifted her head, and looked about her. It was growing dusk. Quick as a flash came the thought that now was her time ; now, while al most everybody was so taken up with the critical condition of the injured little one ; now, before the servants had lighted the lamps in rooms and halls. She would slip down a back stairway, out into the grounds, and away, she cared not whither. ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 165 Always impulsive, and now full of mental dis tress, she did not pause a moment to consider, but, snatching up a hat and coat lying conven iently at hand, stole noiselessly from the room, putting them on as she went. She gained a side-door without meeting any one ; and the grounds seemed deserted as she passed round the house and entered the avenue, down which she ran with swift footsteps, after one hasty glance around to make sure that she was not seen. She reached the great gates, pushed them open, stepped out, letting them swing to after her, and started on a run down the road. But the next instant some one had caught her : a hand was on her shoulder, and a stern, aston ished voice cried, " Lulu ! is it possible this can be you? What are you doing out here in the public road alone, and in the darkness of even ing? Where were you going? " "I I don't want to tell you, papa," she faltered. " Where were you going? " he repeated, in a tone that said an answer he would have, and that at once. ' ' Nowhere anywhere to get away from this place, where everybody hates me ! " she replied sullenly, trying to wrench herself free. " Please let me go, and I'll never come back to trouble you any more." 166 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. He made no reply to that, but simply took her band in a firm grasp, and led her back to the house, back to her own room, where he shut himself in with her, locking the door on the inside. Then he dropped her hand, and began pacing the floor to and fro, seemingly in deep and trou bled thought, his arms folded, his head bowed upon his breast. A servant had brought in a light during Lulu's absence ; and now, looking timidly up at her father, she saw his face for the first time since they had bidden each other farewell a year be fore. It struck her as not only very pale, stern, and grief-stricken, but very much older and more deeply lined than she remembered it : she did not know that the change had been wrought almost entirely in the last few hours, yet recognized it with a pang nevertheless. "Papa is growing old," she thought: "are there gra}~ hairs in his head, I wonder? " Then there came dimly to her recollection some Bible words about bringing a father's gray hairs down with sorrow to the grave. "Was her misconduct killing her father?" She burst into an agony of sobs and tears at the thought. He lifted his head, and looked at her gravely, and with mingled sternness and compassion. "Take off that hat and coat, get your night dress, and make yourself ready for bed," he ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 167 Commanded, then, stepping to the table, sat down, drew the lamp nearer, opened her Bible, lying there, and slowly turned over the leaves as if in search of some particular passage, while she moved slowly about the room, tremblingly and tearfully obeying his order. "Shall I get into bed, papa?" sly asked tremulously, when she had finished. " No, not yet. Come here." She went and stood at his side, with drooping head and fast-beating heart, her eyes on the car pet, for she dared not look in his face. He seemed to have found the passage he sought ; and, keeping the book open with his left hand, he turned to her as she stood at his right. "Lucilla," he said, and his accents were not stern, though very grave and sad, "you cannot have forgotten that I have repeatedly and posi tively forbidden you to go wandering alone about unfrequented streets and roads, even in broad daylight ; yet you attempted to do that very thing to-night in the darkness, which, of course, makes it much worse." "'Yes, papa; but I I didn't mean ever to come back." " You were running away ? " "Yes, sir: I I thought you would be glad to get rid of me," she sobbed. He did not speak again for a moment ; and when he did, it was in moved tones. 168 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. " Supposing I did desire to be rid of you, which is very far from being the case, I should have no right to let you go ; for you are my own child, whom God has given to me to take care of, provide for, and train up for his service. You and I belong to each other as parent and child : you have no right to run away from my care and authority, and I have none to let 3-011 do so. In fact, I feel compelled to punish the attempt quite severely, lest there should be a repetition of it." " Oh, don't, papa ! " she sobbed. " I'll never do it again." " It was an act of daring, wilful disobedience," he said, " and I must punish } r ou for it. Also, for the fury of passion indulged in this morning. Read this, and this, aloud," he added, pointing to the open page ; and she obeyed, reading falter ing, sobbingly, " ' Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child ; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.' . . . ' Withhold not correction from the child : for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.' ' " You see, my child, that my orders are too plain to be misunderstood," he said, when she had finished ; " and they must be obeyed, how ever unwelcome to me or to you." "Yes, papa; and and I I 'most want you to whip me for hurting the baby so. I sup ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 169 pose nobody believes I'm sorry, but I am. I could beat myself for it, though I didn't know it was the baby pulling at my skirt. I thought it was Rosie's dog." " It is not exactly for hurting the baby," he said; "if you had done that by accident, I should never think of punishing you for it : but for the fury of passion that betrayed you into doing it, I must punish you very severely. " I shudder to think what you may come to, if I let you go on indulging your fiery, ungovernable temper: yes, and to think what it has already brought you to," he added, with a heavy sigh. " You can never enter heaven unless you gain the victory over that, as well as every other sin : and, my daughter, there are but two places to choose from as our eternal home, heaven and hell ; and I must use every effort to deliver your soul from going to that last dreadful place ! " He rose, stepped to the window where her little riding-whip still lay, came back to her ; and for the next few minutes she forgot mental distress in sharp, physical pain, as the stinging, though not heavy, blows fell thick and fast on her thinly covered back and shoulders. She writhed and sobbed under them, but neither screamed, nor pleaded for mercy. When he had finished, he sat down again, and drew the weeping, writhing child in between his knees, put his arm about her in tender, fatherly 170 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. fashion, and made her lay her head on his shoul der ; but he said not a word. Perhaps his heart was too full for speech. Presently Lulu's arm crept round his neck. "Papa," she sobbed, "I I do love you, and I I'm glad you wouldn't let me run away, and that you try to save me from losing my soul. But oh, I can't be good ! I wish, I wish I could! " she ended, with a bitter, despairing cry. He was much moved. "We will kneel down, and ask God to help you, my poor, dear child," he said. He did so, making her kneel beside him, while, with his arm still about her, he poured out a prayer so earnest and tender, so exactly describ ing her feelings and her needs, that she could join in it with all her heart. He prayed like one talking to his Father and Friend, who he knew was both able and willing to do great things for him and his. When they had risen from their knees, she lifted her eyes to his face with a timid, pleading look. He understood the mute petition, and, sitting down again, drew her to his knee, and kissed hei several times with grave tenderness. "I wanted a kiss so badly, papa," she said. " You know, it is a whole year since I had one ; and you never came home before without giving me one just as soon as we met." ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 171 " No ; but I never before had so little reason to bestow a caress on you," he said. " When I heard of your deed of this morning, I felt that I ought not to show you any mark of favor, at least not until I had given you the punishment you so richly deserved. Do you not think I was right? " "Yes, sir," she answered, hanging her head, and blushing deeply. " I will put you in your bed now, and leave you for to-night," he said. " I must go back to my little suffering baby and her almost heart broken mother." He led her to the bed, and lifted her into it as he spoke. "Papa, can't I have a piece of bread?" she asked humbly. " I'm so hungry ! " " Hungry ! " he exclaimed in surprise. " Had you no supper? " " No, sir, nor dinner either. I haven't had a bite to eat since breakfast." ' ' Strange ! " he said ; ' ' but I suppose you were forgotten in the excitement and anxiety every one in the house has felt ever since the baby's sad fall. And they may have felt it unnecessary to bring any thing to you, as you were quite able to go to the dining-room for it." "I couldn't bear to, papa," she said, with tears of shame and grief ; " and, indeed, I wasn't hungry till a little while ago ; but now I feel faint and sick for something to eat." 172 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. "You shall have it," he replied, and went hastily from the room, to return in a few min utes, bringing a bowl of milk and a plentiful supply of bread and butter. He set them on the table, and bade her come and eat. " Papa, you are very kind to me, ever so much kinder than I deserve," she said tremulously, as she made haste to obey the order. "I think some fathers would say I must go hungry for to-night." " I have already punished you in what I con sider a better way, because it could not injure your health," he said ; " while going a long time without food would be almost sure to do so. It is not my intention ever to punish my children in a way to do them injury. Present pain is all I am at all willing to inflict, and that only for their good." " Yes, papa, I know that," she said with a sob, setting down her bowl of milk to wipe her eyes ; "so, when you punish me, it doesn't make me quit loving you." " If I did not love you, if you were not my own dear child," he said, laying his hand on her head as he stood by her side, " I don't think I could be at the trouble and pain of disciplining you as I have to-night. But eat your supper : I can't stay with you much longer, and I want to Bee you in bed before I go." ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 173 As she laid her head on her pillow again, there was a flash of lightning, followed instantly by a crash of thunder and a heavy downpour of rain. " Do you hear that? " he asked. " Now, sup pose I had let you go when I caught you trying to run awa}-, how would you feel, alone out of doors, in the darkness and storm, no shelter, no home, no friends, no father to take care of you, and provide for your wants ? ' ' " O papa ! it would be very, very dreadful ! " she sobbed, putting her arm round his neck as he bent over her. " I'm very glad you brought me back, even to punish me so severely ; and I don't think I'll ever want to run away again." " I trust not," he said, kissing her good-night ; " and you must not leave this room till I give you permission. I intend that you shall spend some days in solitude, except when I see fit to come to you, that you may have plenty of time and opportunity to think over your sinful conduct and its dire consequences." CHAPTER XIII. "I'm on the rack; For sure, the greatest evil man can know, Bears no proportion to the dread suspense." "Is there any change, doctor?" asked Capt. Raymond, meeting Arthur Conly in the hall. "Hardly," was the reply: "certainly none for the worse." " Will she get over it, do you think? " The father's tones were unsteady as he asked the question. " My dear captain, it is impossible to tell yet," Arthur said feelingly ; " but we must try to hope for the best." Their hands met in a warm clasp. "I shall certainly do so," the captain said. " But you are not going to leave us, especially not in this storm ? ' ' " No : I expect to pass the night in the house, ready to be summoned at a moment's notice, should any change take place." " Thank you : it will be a great satisfaction to us to know we have you close at hand." And 174 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 175 the captain turned and entered the nursery, which Arthur had just left. Violet, seated by the side of the crib where her baby lay, looked up on her husband's entrance, greeting him with a smile of mingled love and ' ' Your dear presence is such a comfort and support ! " she murmured as he drew near. " I don't like to lose sight of you for a single moment." "Nor i of you, dearest," he answered, bend ing down to kiss her pale cheek, then taking a seat close beside her; "but I had to seek soli tude for a time while fighting a battle with my self. Since that I have been with Lulu." He concluded with a heavy sigh, and for a moment both were silent ; then he said with grave tenderness, "I fear you will find it hard to forgive her: it has been no easy thing for me to do so." "I cannot yet," returned Violet, a hard look that he had never seen there before stealing over her face ; " and that is an added distress, for ' if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.' I think I can if my baby recovers ; but should it be taken away or or, worse by far, live to be a constant sufferer oh, how can I ever forgive the author of that suffering ! Pray for me, my dear husband," she sobbed, laying her head on his shoulder. 176 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. " I will, I do, my darling," he whispered, pass* ing his arm about her, and drawing her closer; " and I know the help you need will be given. " ' Ask, and it shall be given you.' " Perhaps it may aid the effort, if I tell you Lulu did not intentionally harm her little sister, and is greatly distressed at her state. She thought it was Rosie's dog pulling at her skirts ; and I own that -that explanation makes the sad affair a little less heart-rending to me, though I could not accept it as any excuse for an act done in a fury of passion, and have punished her 1 very severely for it; that is, for her passion. I think it is right, under the circumstances, that you should know that I have, and that it is my fixed purpose to keep her in solitary confinement, at least so long as the baby continues in a critical condition." ' ' Oh ! I am glad to know it was not done pur posely," Violet exclaimed, though in a tone hardly raised above a whisper, lifting her tear ful eyes to his face with a look of something like relief: "knowing that, I begin to feel that it may be possible to forgive and forget, especially if the consequences do not prove lasting," she added with a sob, and turning her eyes to the lit tle wan face on the pillow. "But I certainly take no delight in the severity of her punish ment : in fact, I fear it may destroy any little affection she has had for her baby sister." ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. Ill "No," he said, "I am not at all apprehensive Of that. When she found I was about to punish her, she said she almost wanted me to ; that she felt like beating herself for hurting the baby, then went on to explain her mistake, thinking it was the dog tugging at her dress, and I then gave her fully to understand, that the chastise ment was not for hurting the baby, but for in dulging in such a fury of passion, a fault that I have punished her for on more than one former occasion ; telling her, too, that I intended to chastise her every time I knew of her being guilty of it." The sound of a low sob caused the captain to turn his head, to find his little Grace standing at the back of his chair, and crying bitterly, though without much noise. He took her hand, and drew her to his side. "What is the matter, daughter?" he asked ten derly. " O papa ! I'm so sorry for Lulu," she sobbed ; " please, mayn't I go to her for a little while? " " No, Gracie. I cannot allow her the pleasure of seeing you, either to-night, or for some days." "But, papa, you said you told mamma just now that you had already punished her very severely ; and must you keep on ? " " Yes, my child, so far as to keep her in soli tude, that she may have plenty of time to think about what she has brought upon herself and 178 ELSIE'S KITS AND KIN. others by the indulgence of an ungovernable temper. She needs to have the lesson impressed upon her as deeply as possible." "I'm so sorry for her, papa!" repeated the gentle little pleader. " So am I, daughter," he said ; " but I think, that to see that she has the full benefit of this sad lesson, will be the greatest kindness I can do her. And my little Grace must try to believe that papa knows best. "Now, give me a good-night kiss, and go to your bed, for it is quite time you were there." As he spoke, he took her in his arms, and held her for a moment in a close embrace. " Papa's dear little girl ! " he said softly : ' ' you have never given me a pang, except by your feeble health." " I don't want to, papa : I hope I never, never shall ! " she returned, hugging him tight. Leaving him, she went to Violet, put her arms about her neck, and said in her sweet, childish treble, " Dear mamma, don't feel so dreadfully about baby : I've been asking God to make her quite, quite well ; and I do believe he will." When she had left the room, the captain found himself alone with his young wife and their little one. Again her head was on his shoulder, hia arm about her waist. "My husband, my dear, dear husband," she murmured, " I am so glad to have you here ! I ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 179 % jannot tell you how I longed for you when the children were so ill. Oh, if we could only be together always, as Lester and Elsie, Edward and Zoe, are ! " "My love, my life," he said in Low tones, tremulous with feeling, "what if I should tell jou that your wish is already accomplished ? " She gave him a glance of astonishment and incredulity. "It is even so: I mean all I have said," he answered to the look. " I have sent in my res ignation : it has been accepted, and I have come home no, I have come here to make a home for you and my children, hoping to live in it with you and them for the rest of my clays." Her face had grown radiant. ' ' Oh ! can it be true? " she cried, half under her breath ; for even in her glad surprise, the thought of her suffering babe and its critical condition was present with her : ' ' are we not to be forced apart again in a few days or weeks ? not to go on spending more than half our lives at a distance from each other?" "It is quite true, my darling," he answered, then went on to tell, in a few brief sentences, how it had come about. "It cost me a struggle to give up the service," he said in conclusion ; " and perhaps I might not have decided as I did, but for the thought that, if I should be needed by my country at some fu- 180 ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. ture day, I could offer her my services ; and the thought that, at present, wife and children needed me more, probably, than she. I felt that Lulu, in particular, needed my oversight and training ; that the task of bringing her up was too difficult, too trying, to be left to other hands than those of her father ; and I feel that still more sensibly since hearing of this day's do ings," he added in a tone of heartfelt sorrow. "I think you are right," Violet said. " She is more willing to submit to your authority than to that of anybody else ; as, indeed, she ought to be : and in a home that she will feel is really her own, her father's house, and with him con stantly at hand, to watch over, and help her to correct her faults, there is hope, I think, that she may grow to be all you desire." " Thank 3-011, love', for saying it," he respond ed with emotion. " I could not blame you if now you thought her utterly irreclaimable." "No, oh, no!" she answered earnestly. "I have great hopes of her, with her father at hand to help her in the struggle with her temper ; for I am sure she does struggle against it ; and 1 must acknowledge, that, for months past, she has been as good and lovable a child as one could desire. I don't know a more lovable one than she is when her temper does not get the better of her ; and, as Gracie says, whenever it does, ' she gets sorry very soon.' " ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. 181 *'My darling," he said, pressing the hand be held, " you are most kind to be so ready to see what is commendable in my wayward child. I cannot reasonably expect even you to look at her with her father's partial eyes. And dearly as I certainly do love her, I have been exceed ingly angry with her to-day ; so angry, that, for a time, I dared not trust myself to go near her, I, who ought to have unlimited patience with her, knowing, as I do, that she inherits her temper from me." " I don't know how to believe that, my dear, good husband," Violet said, gazing up into hia face with fond, admiring eyes ; "for I have never seen any evidence of it. If you have such a temper, you have certainly gained complete mas tery of it. And that may well give us hope for Lulu." " I do not despair of her," he said ; " though I was near doing so to-day for a time after hearing a full account of her passionate behavior her savage assault, as it seemed to be, upon her baby sister." " Oh ! " moaned Violet, bending over the little one with fast-falling tears, for it was moaning as if in pain, "my baby, my poor, precious baby ! how gladly mamma would bear all your suffering for you, if she could ! O Levis ! what shall we do if she is taken from us? "