CHAPTER XII.
LULU REBELS.
Several weeks had passed since the events recorded in the last chapter, during which life had moved on in its accustomed way at Fairview and Ion.
Evelyn was as happy in her new home as she could have been anywhere without her father and mother--perhaps happier than she would have been anywhere _with_ the latter--and enjoyed her studies under Mr.Dinsmore's tuition; for, being very steady, respectful, studious, and in every way a well-behaved child, and also an interested pupil, she found favor with him, was never subjected to reproof or punishment, but smiled upon and constantly commended, and in consequence her opinion of him differed widely from that of Lulu, whose quick, wilful temper was continually getting her into trouble with him.
She was the only one of his scholars who caused him any serious annoyance, but he had grown very weary of contending with her, and one day when she had failed in her recitation and answered impertinently his well-merited reproof, he said to her, "Lucilla, you may leave the room and consider yourself banished from it for a week.

At the end of that time I shall probably be able to decide whether I will ever again listen to a recitation from you." Lulu, with cheeks aflame and eyes flashing, hardly waited for the conclusion of the sentence ere she rose and rushed from the room, shutting the door behind her with a loud slam.
Mr.Dinsmore stepped to it and called her back.
"I desire you to come in here again and then leave us in a proper and ladylike manner, closing the door quietly," he said.
For a single instant Lulu hesitated, strongly tempted to refuse obedience; but even she stood in some awe of Mr.Dinsmore, and seeing his stern, determined look, she retraced her steps, with head erect and eyes that carefully avoided the faces of all present; went quietly out again, closed the door gently, then hurried through the hall, down the stairs, and into her own room; there she hastily donned hat and sacque, then rapidly descended to the ground-floor, and the next instant might have been seen fairly flying down the avenue.
Her passion had slightly cooled by the time she reached the gate, and giving up her first intention of passing through into the road beyond, she turned into an alley bordered by evergreens which would screen her from view from the house, and there paced back and forth, muttering angrily to herself between her shut teeth, "I hate him, so I do! the old tyrant! He's no business to give me such long, hard lessons and then scold because I don't recite perfectly." Here conscience reminded her that she could easily have mastered her task if her time had not been wasted over a story-book.
"It's a pity if I can't have the pleasure of reading a story once in a while," she said in reply; "and I'm not going to give up doing it either for him or anybody else.

He reads stories himself; and if it's bad, it's worse for grown folks than for children.

Oh, how I do wish I was grown up and could do just as I please!" Then came to mind her father's assurance that even grown people could not always follow their own inclinations; also his expressions of deep gratitude to Mr.Dinsmore and Grandma Elsie for giving his children a home with them and taking the trouble to teach and train them up for useful and happy lives.

Lulu well knew that Mr.Dinsmore received no compensation for his labors in behalf of her brother and sister and herself, and that few people would be at such pains for no other reward than the consciousness of doing good; and reflecting upon all this, she at length began to feel really ashamed of her bad behavior.
Yet pride prevented her from fully acknowledging it even to her own heart.