going to be."

"Oh," she cried lifting her head, which had dropped upon his shoulder as
he held her closely clasped in his arms, "I'll stop being so bad; I'll be
good and do as Grandpa Dinsmore has ordered me, and maybe God will
forgive me and spare papa and Gracie and the baby. Do you think he will,
Max?"

"Perhaps; you remember how ill papa was when you were obstinate and
disobedient to him once before, and you gave up and did as he bade you,
and we all prayed for papa and he got well?"

"Yes, oh yes, I'll do it now, this minute; I can't go to Viamede to tell
Grandpa Dinsmore, but I'll write a little note, Max, and you can carry it
to him."

"I have a note-book in my pocket, pencil too," he said, pulling them out
in haste to get the thing done, lest her mood should change. "I'll tear
out a leaf and you can write on that. Grandpa Dinsmore won't mind what
kind of paper it is so the words are there."

He led the way to a rustic seat, tore out the leaf, spread it on the
cover of the book and handed that and the pencil to her.

"I needn't say much--need I, Max?" she asked, looking at him through
tear-dimmed eyes.

"No; just the few words you would say if he were here beside you."

"I can't write nicely, my hand trembles so, and I can hardly see," she
sobbed, taking out her handkerchief and wiping away the fast-falling
tears."

"Never mind; I know he won't care how it looks; he'll know why you
couldn't do better."

Thus encouraged, Lulu wrote with trembling fingers:

"Grandpa Dinsmore, I'm sorry for having been so naughty, obstinate, and
disobedient. Please forgive me, and I will do whatever you bid me; even
if you still say I must take lessons again of Signor Foresti."

She signed her name in full, and handing it to Max, asked,

"Will that do?"

"Yes; I'm sure it will; and I'm ever so glad you've done it at last, Lu."

"But, oh! Max, how can I go back to that horrid man after I've said so
many times that I never would?"

She seemed inclined to snatch the note out of his hand, but he stepped
back quickly out of reach, hastily deposited it in the note-book, and
that in his pocket.

"Don't repent of doing right, Lu," he said. "Think that you may be
averting sorrow and bereavement. I think I'd better go now, before you
change your mind."

"Oh no, don't, Max," she entreated; "I'm so lonesome without you; let us
keep together and comfort each other."

Max yielded, and they sat down again side by side.