reproof was richly deserved. She
made no reply, but hung her head, while a vivid blush suffused her
cheeks.

Silence in the room for several minutes; then Lulu said, "I think my
bedtime has come, Mamma Vi; may I go now?"

"Yes; good-night," said Violet, bending down to give her a kiss.

Lulu returned both the kiss and the good-night, then rose to leave the
room.

"Stay a moment, dear," Violet said in her gentlest, sweetest tone; "I am
writing to your father: what shall I say about you?"

"Anything you please," Lulu answered coldly, and walked away with head
erect, cheeks aflame, and eyes flashing.

"If she wants to tell tales on me, she may. I shan't try to stop her,"
she muttered to herself as she went into her own room and closed the
door; then sending a glance around upon all the luxury and beauty of the
apartment, the thought flashed painfully on her that these things, so
delightful to her, would have to be exchanged for others far inferior and
less enjoyable; for, of course, no boarding-school room would be
furnished at anything like the expense that had been lavished upon this
and others in this fine old mansion, so long owned and at times occupied
by the possessors of vast wealth joined to refined and cultivated taste.

During the last fortnight, enforced confinement there had sometimes made
the room seem like a prison; but now her heart swelled at the thought of
leaving it, perhaps never to return, for certainly, unless she became
submissive and obedient, she would be kept at the academy at least until
the family were ready to leave for Ion.

Then it occurred to her that there were advantages, companionships,
luxuries, to be given up, the resigning of which would be still harder.
Now that she was to leave them, she found she had grown fond of both her
young stepmother and the baby sister of whom she had once been so
jealous; and that she loved Grandma Elsie also, Aunt Elsie too; and
indeed, that almost every one in the family connection had proved
agreeable in such intercourse as she had held with them.

Alas! what a sorry exchange from their society to that of the Mantons,
and from all the loving care that had been bestowed upon her and the many
privileges accorded her at Ion and Viamede, to the neglect and
indifference to be expected from strangers! As she thought of all this
she could not contemplate the carrying out of her sentence of banishment
to Oakdale with anything like satisfaction.

Yet t