him how sorry I was and asked forgiveness of him, and Neddie, too."

Grace looked surprised. "No, I never heard a word of it before," she
said; "but I'm sure you did all you could when you asked forgiveness of
both of them--papa and Neddie."

The little girls had no idea that their father was within hearing, yet
such was the case, and their little talk pleased him greatly.

"The darlings!" he said to himself, "they shall not be long penniless,
for their father thinks them very worthy to be trusted with
pocket-money. Two more unselfish children I am sure it would be hard to
find."

With that he rose and went to the library, to which they presently
followed him, asking if there were anything he wanted them to do.

"Why, it is your play-time, daughters," he returned, with a loving smile
into the bright young faces.

"But we'd like to do something to help you, dear papa," Grace said,
laying her small, white hand on his arm, and looking lovingly up into
his face.

"Yes, indeed we would, papa," said Lulu, standing on his other side, and
putting her arm round his neck. "Please, if you have letters to answer,
mayn't I write them for you on my typewriter?"

"Does my dear eldest daughter deem that a privilege?" he asked, smiling
down into her beseeching eyes, while he put one arm round her, the other
about Grace's waist, and drew both in between his knees, kissing first
one and then the other.

"Indeed I do, papa," Lulu answered in an earnest tone; "it's very sweet
to me to feel that I am of even a little use to my dear, dear father,
who does so much for me, taking so much trouble to teach me, and gives
me so many, many nice things to eat, to wear, to read, and to amuse
myself with--so many that it would take quite a long while to count them
all up."

"Ah, that reminds me," he said, taking out his pocket-book, "I shouldn't
wonder if my little girls had about emptied their purses in buying gifts
for the bride that is to be, and so forth. Get them out and let me see
what can be done toward replenishing them."

He noted with pleasure that as he spoke each young face grew very
bright.

"We've left them upstairs, papa," said Lulu, "and though you're ever so
kind," hugging and kissing him again, "we don't want to take any more
now when you have to spend so very much on the wedding, and to take us
all home to Woodburn."

"No, indeed we don't, you dear, dear papa," chimed in Grace, nestling
closer to him and patting his