ly after breakfast.

Her father listened in astonishment, his face growing sterner every
moment.

"Lucilla," he said, "you are certainly the most impertinent, insolent
child I ever saw! I don't wonder you were afraid to let me know the
whole truth in regard to this affair. I am ashamed of your conduct
toward both your Grandma Elsie and your Uncle Edward. You must apologize
to both of them, acknowledging that you have been extremely impertinent,
and asking forgiveness for it."

Lulu made no reply; her eyes were downcast, her face was flushed with
passion, and wore a stubborn look.

"I won't;" the words were on the tip of her tongue; she had almost
spoken them, but restrained herself just in time; her father's authority
was not to be defied, as she had learned to her cost a year ago.

He saw the struggle that was going on in her breast. "You must do it,"
he said; "you may write your apologies, though, if you prefer that to
speaking them."

He opened a writing-desk that stood on a table close at hand, and seated
her before it with paper, pen, and ink, and bade her write, at his
dictation.

She did not dare refuse, and had really no very strong disinclination to
do so in regard to the first, which was addressed to Grandma Elsie--a
lady so gentle and kind that even proud Lulu was willing to humble
herself to her.

But when it came to Edward's turn her whole soul rose up in rebellion
against it. Yet she dared not say either "I won't" or "I don't want to."
But pausing, with the pen in her fingers:

"Papa," she began timidly, "please don't make me apologize to him; he
had no right to talk to me the way he did."

"I am not so sure of that," the captain said. "I don't blame him for
trying to uphold his mother's authority; and now I think of it, you are
to consider yourself under his control in the absence of your mamma and
the older persons to whom I have given authority over you. Begin at once
and write what I have told you to."

When the notes were written, signed, and folded he put them in his
pocket, turned and paced the floor.

Lulu, glancing timidly into his face, saw that it was pale and full of
pain, but very stern and determined.

"Papa, are you--are you going to punish me?" she asked, tremulously. "I
mean as you did the other day?"

"I think I must," he said, pausing beside her, "though it grieves me to
the very heart to do it; but you have been disobedient, passionate, and
very impertinent; it is qui