As was not unusual she vented her displeasure upon Lulu, scolding because her school-books and hat had not been put in their proper places, her hair and dress made neat.
"I'll put them away presently, Aunt Beulah. You'll not be bothered with me much longer," remarked the delinquent nonchalantly, her eyes still upon the photograph Gracie was holding.
"What's that?" asked Mrs. Scrimp, catching sight of it for the first time.
"Our new mamma," the children answered in a breath, Gracie's tones full of gentle joyousness, Lulu's of a sort of defiant exultation, especially as she added, "Papa's coming next week to take us away to live at home with him."
"On shipboard?"
"No, in a cottage by the sea."
"Humph! he'll soon sail away again and leave you with your step-mother, just as I told you."
"Well, I don't care, she looks enough kinder and sweeter than you do."
"Indeed! I pity her, poor young thing!" sighed Mrs. Scrimp, scanning the photograph with keen curiosity. "She's very young—a mere child I should say—and to think of the trouble she'll have with you and Max!"
"We're not going to be a trouble to her," said Lulu, "we're never a trouble to people that treat us decently."