On arriving there Lucilla hastened to the library, where she found her father examining some business letters.
"Good-morning, papa!" she said. "Here is your amanuensis, and haven't you something for her to do?"
"Yes," he replied, looking up at her with a smile, as she stood close at his side, "and the first thing is to give her father a kiss; that is, if she will not find it a disagreeable task."
"Anything else than that, father dear," she returned, bending down to give and receive a caress. "And won't you let me help, as usual, with your correspondence?"
"I shall be very glad to do so," he returned, rising to take the cover from her typewriter, and put the paper in place. Then she seated herself and he began dictating. When they had finished, "Did you miss me last night and this morning, father?" she asked.
"I did indeed," he said; "but that is something I will have to get used to, when Chester takes you from me."
He ended with a sigh.
"Oh, papa, don't sigh so over it!" she exclaimed. "You know it isn't as if I had to go away to a distance from you. I shall be close at hand, and you can call me to your side whenever you will."
"Which will be pretty often, I think," he said, with a smile, drawing her closer to him, and caressing her hair and cheek with his hand. "Had you a pleasant time last evening? And did you go to bed in season, as your father would have seen that you did had you been at home?"