otion. "Truly, I think no man ever had a more lovable child, or a
more grateful and appreciative one."

Those words sent a thrill of exquisite delight to Lulu's heart. "Dear
papa, you are so kind to tell me that!" she said. "Oh, I do want always
to be all that to you!"

"And it is certainly my ardent desire to be the best of fathers to my
dear eldest daughter, and all my children," he responded.

"But now let us set to work upon this correspondence."

For the next hour and more they were very busy; then, every letter
having been replied to, the captain went out to a distant part of the
plantation to see how work was progressing there, taking Lulu along.

Their way led them through the orange orchard, and both father and
daughter found it a delightful walk.

They reached the house again just in time to receive the others on their
return from their little excursion, and presently after, all sat down to
dinner.

On leaving the table the little girls repaired to the veranda.

"I'm decidedly offended with you, Lu," said Rosie, in jesting tone.

"What for?" asked Lulu.

"For forsaking us as you did this morning; and now the least reparation
you can make is to confess why you did so. Do you not agree with me,
Eva?"

"Yes," replied Evelyn, "I think she ought to do so, as the only amends
she can make. So, Miss Raymond, let us hear your excuse at once--if you
have any."

"Well, then, I suppose I must," said Lulu. "Please understand that I
would have enjoyed going with you very much indeed, but I saw that papa
had a good many letters to answer and I wanted to help him a great deal
more than I did to take a ride.

"He lets me write some on the typewriter--those, you see, that don't
require a very particular answer--and he says it shortens his work very
much. And," she added with a sigh, "I have given my dear father so much
trouble in past days by my bad temper and wilfulness, that I feel I can
never do enough to make up to him for it."

"Dear Lu, I just love you for feeling and acting so," said Evelyn
softly, giving Lulu's hand an affectionate squeeze as she spoke; "and I
am sure your father must."

"Yes, he does love me dearly, and you can't think how happy that makes
me," returned Lulu, glad tears shining in her eyes.

"I don't know about that, but I think we can," said Rosie, a slight
tremble in her voice; for she had not forgotten altogether the dear
father who had fondled and caressed her in her babyhood, b