“Well, Lu,” said Max, “it does seem odd to me that you will disobey papa, every once in a while, though he never gives an unreasonable order and is always so kind and affectionate to us, yet sure to punish disobedience.”
“Have you never disobeyed him, Max?” she asked a little angrily.
“Yes, several times in the course of my life; but not of late.”
“I don’t believe Lu will any more,” said Grace.
“I hope not; I don’t mean to; it ’most broke my heart to see how hurt and sorry papa looked about it,” Lulu said, with a slight tremble in her voice. “It was worse than having Fairy sent away.”
Max and Grace offered the use of their ponies.
“Thank you,” said Lulu; “it’s ever so kind in you both; but I don’t know whether papa would let me ride either of them now while I can’t have my own.”
They had left the dinner-table shortly before, were now on the veranda, and Ajax was leading up Elf and Max’s pony, Rex.
The captain stepped out from the open hall door and Max asked, “Papa, may I lend Rex to Lu?”
“If you choose; but she is not to ride alone even about the grounds; or to go out of sight from the house by herself.”