orseful look, "but don't speak of it. How
very ready I was to punish you for the most trifling fault."

"Indeed, papa," she answered earnestly, "it was no such trifle, for I had
disobeyed a plain order not to ask a second time for permission to do what
you had once forbidden."

"True; but I now see that a child so sensitive, conscientious and
affectionate as you were, would have been sufficiently punished by a mild
rebuke."

"A year or two later you discovered and acted upon that," she said, with
an affectionate look up into his face. "But at this time you were a very
young father; and when I remember how you took me on your knee, by the
fire there, and warmed my hands and feet, petting and fondling me, and
what a nice evening I had with you afterward, I could almost wish to go
through it all again."

"Hark! what was that?" exclaimed Rosie.

Every one paused to listen.

There was a sound of sobbing as of a child in sore distress, and it
seemed to come from the closet.

"There's somebody shut up there now," Walter said in a loud, excited
whisper. "Grandpa, can't she be let out?"

Arthur strode hastily across the room and threw the closet door wide open.

There was no one there. They glanced at each other in surprise and
perplexity.

"Ah, ha, ah, ha! um, h'm! ah, ah! the lassie's no there, eh?" said a voice
behind them, and turning quickly at the sound, whom should they see but
Mr. Lilburn standing in the open doorway leading to the hall.

"But we know all about her now, sir," said Arthur with a laugh, in which
he was joined by every one present.

CHAPTER XIII.

"Evil communications corrupt good manners."
--1 _Cor._ 15:33.

The one drawback upon Max's perfect enjoyment of his new home was the lack
of a companion of his own age and sex; the only boys in the family
connection, or among the near neighbors, were nearly grown to manhood or
very little fellows.

Therefore, when Ralph Conly came home for the Christmas holidays, and
though four years older than himself, at once admitted him to a footing of
intimacy, Max was both pleased and flattered.

Ralph's manner, to be sure, was more condescending than was altogether
agreeable, but that seemed not inexcusable, considering his superiority in
years and knowledge of the world.

At Ion, Max played the part of host, taking Ralph up to his own bedroom to
show him his books and other treasures, to the boys' work-room, o