stance from me nearly all the time."

"And to me, as well as to you, that would be an almost insurmountable
objection; for Lu and I are now the closest and dearest of
friends--bosom companions. I should hardly know what to do without
her--the dear, sweet girl!"

"Ah! it makes me very happy to hear and know that," he said with a glad
smile, adding, "it is hardly news; for I have seen for a good while that
you were very fond of each other."

"Yes; we are like sisters. I should miss Lu almost more than I shall
Rosie, as we are together so much more constantly. Oh, I don't like to
think of it! and I sincerely hope it may be years before she learns to
love any other man well enough to be willing to leave her sweet home
under her father's roof."

"A hope in which I join with all my heart," said her husband; "and one
that I trust Donald is not going to ask me to resign."

"If he does, just remind him of the exact terms of the answer you gave
him at West Point," returned Violet in playful tones. "But now I think
it is time for us to retire; do not you?" releasing herself from his
embrace and rising to her feet as she spoke.

"Yes," he said, "I would not have my wife miss her beauty sleep."

CHAPTER XV.

Lucilla was in bed but not asleep. She had retired to her room when the
guests went to theirs, and without a formal good-night to her father,
trusting to his coming to her there for a few moment's chat, as he
almost always did. But he had not come, and she felt sorely
disappointed. It was a beautiful, luxuriously furnished room, this bed
chamber of hers--the view from its windows, a lovely one of carefully
kept grounds, cultivated fields, woods, and streams; all looking their
loveliest just now as seen by the silver light of the moon, which shone
in upon her through rich lace curtains, gently wafted to and fro by the
summer breeze as it came in laden with the sweet scent of flowers from
the garden below.

"What a sweet, lovely home I have! Oh, how much to be thankful for! good
health, kind friends, and such a dear father!" she said half aloud; "but
I want a good-night kiss and a word or two of fatherly affection, and
it does seem as if I can't go to sleep without it. Oh, dear! can it be
that he is displeased with me about anything? I am not conscious of
having done anything he would disapprove."

"Nor have you, so far as I know, daughter mine," said a pleasant voice
close at her side, while a hand was laid te