captain stood, watching for
Lulu's coming.

"She is not yielding very prompt obedience to the order," he said to
himself; "but what wonder? The poor child doubtless dreads the
interview extremely; in fact, _I_ should be only too glad to escape it;
'tis no agreeable task to have to deal out justice to one's own child--a
child so lovable, in spite of her faults. How much easier to pass the
matter over slightly, merely administering a gentle reprimand! But no, I
cannot; 'twould be like healing slightly the festering sore that
threatens the citadel of life. I must be faithful to my God-given trust,
however trying to my feelings. Ah, there she is!" as a little figure
appeared at the top of the staircase and hurried across the intervening
space to the open doorway.

There she halted, trembling and with downcast eyes. It was a minute or
more before she ventured to lift them, and then it was a very timid
glance she sent in her father's direction.

He was looking at her with a very grave, rather stern, countenance, and
her eyes fell again, while still she shrank from approaching him.

"You are not very glad to see me, I think," he said, holding out his
hand, but with no relaxing of the sternness of his expression.

"Oh, papa, yes! yes, indeed I am!" she burst out, springing to his side
and putting her hand in his, "even though I suppose you are going to
punish me just as you did the last time."

He drew her to his knee, but without offering her the slightest caress.

"Won't you kiss me, papa?" she asked, with a little sob.

"I will; but you are not to take it as a token of favor; only of your
father's love that is never withdrawn from you, even when he is most
severe in the punishment of your faults," he answered, pressing his lips
again and again to forehead, cheeks, and lips. "What have you done that
you expect so severe a punishment?"

"Papa, you know, don't you?" she said, hiding her blushing face on his
breast.

"I choose to have you tell me; I want a full confession of all the
wrong-doing you have been guilty of since I left you the other day."

"I disobeyed you last night, papa, about taking a long walk by myself;
but it was because I forgot to notice how far I was going; at least, I
didn't notice," she stammered, remembering that she had wilfully
refrained from so doing.

"You forgot? forgot to pay attention to your father's commands? did not
think them of sufficient importance for you to take the trouble t