out your lesson to-day. Why have you
not learned it?"

"Because I didn't want to," muttered the delinquent.

Rosie opened her eyes wide in astonishment. She would never have dared to
answer her grandfather in that manner.

"Take your book and learn it now," he said in his sternest tone.

Lulu did not venture to disobey, for she was really very much afraid of
Mr. Dinsmore.

He heard Rosie's lesson, assigned her task for the next day, and both left
the room. The others had gone about the time Mr. Dinsmore came in, so Lulu
was left alone.

She thought it best to give her mind to the lesson, and in half an hour
felt that she was fully prepared with it.

But Mr. Dinsmore did not come back, and she dared not leave the room,
though very impatient to do so.

The dinner bell rang, and still he had not come.

Lulu was hungry and began to fear that she was to be made to fast; but at
length a servant brought her a good, substantial, though plain dinner, set
it before her, and silently withdrew.

"It's not half as good as they've got," Lulu remarked half aloud to
herself, discontentedly eying her fare, "but it's better than nothing."

With that philosophical reflection she fell to work, and speedily emptied
the dishes.

Mr. Dinsmore came to her shortly after, heard the lesson, gave her a
little serious talk and dismissed her.

Feeling that she owed an apology to Grandma Elsie, but still too stubborn
and proud to make it, Lulu was ashamed to join the others, so went off
alone into the grounds. She was not Grandma Elsie's pupil, she understood,
until the morning's impertinence had been atoned for.

It was against rules to go beyond the boundary of the grounds without
permission; yet after wandering through them for a while, she did so, and
entering a shady, pleasant road, walked on without any settled purpose,
till she reached a neighboring plantation where lived some little girls
with whom she had a slight acquaintance.

They were playing croquet on the lawn, and espying Lulu at the gate,
invited her to come in and join them.

She did so, became much interested in the sport, and forgot to go home
until the lengthening shadows warned her that it must be very near the tea
hour at Ion.

She then bade a hasty good-by and retraced her steps with great expedition
and in no tranquil state of mind. In truth, she was a good deal alarmed as
she thought of the possible consequences to herself of her bold disregard
of rules