Rosie was exceedingly reluctant; it seemed the hardest requirement her mother had ever made, but at length a promise of obedience was won from her and she went to bed to cry herself to sleep over the humiliation she must submit to on the morrow.
While she and her mother were talking thus together, Lulu had made ready for bed and received a visit from her father. She met him with a wistful pleading look and the query, “Papa, are you displeased with me?”
He did not answer immediately, but sitting down drew her to his knee, smoothed the hair back from her forehead and kissed her gravely. “Not very seriously, daughter,” he said at last, “but what was the trouble between Rosie and the rest of you? Sydney seemed to be accusing her of some unfair dealing, and you, I thought, were beginning a sentence of the same import.”
“Yes, papa, I was; and I’m glad you stopped me before I’d said what I was going to,” Lulu answered, coloring and dropping her eyes.
“And a moment before she left your circle I saw you give her a very scornful look. Do you think that was right or kind? especially remembering that she is your guest?”
“No, sir,” acknowledged Lulu. “But, papa, I will try to do better if you just won’t be vexed with me.”
“I can ask nothing more than that promise, and am not at all vexed with you now, my darling,” he said, repeating his caress.
“Oh, I’m glad!” she exclaimed, hugging him and returning his kiss. “Papa, do you think I would ever cheat at play, and so win the game unfairly? and if I should, wouldn’t you think I was every bit as bad as if I flew into a passion?”
“Yes, quite as bad, quite as deserving of punishment; but I do not think you would be guilty of any thing of the kind, and it has always been a great comfort to me to be able to believe my little daughter Lulu a perfectly honest and truthful child.”
“Dear papa, thank you!” she said, her face lighting up with joy and love.