"Can't you ?" Lulu shook her head.

"Not without leave, and I don't want to ask it now.
Oh, Eva, I do wish I hadn't to obey these people who are no relation to me!" "But they are very kind; and Aunt Violet is your father's wife, and loves you for his sake, I am sure." "But she's too young to be a real mother to me, and the rest are no relation at all.

I begged papa not to say I must obey them, but he would say it." "Then, loving him so dearly, as I am sure you do, I should think you would be quite willing to obey them, because it is his will that you should." "I don't see that that follows," grumbled Lulu; "and--now you will think me very bad, I know--I have sometimes even refused to obey papa himself." "Oh, how sorry you will be for it if ever he is taken away from you!" Eva said, with emotion.

"But did he let you have your own way ?" "No, indeed; he is as strict in exacting obedience from his children as Grandpa Dinsmore himself.

I'm dreadfully afraid Grandpa Dinsmore or somebody will write to him about to-day; I do hope they won't, for he said if I should be disobedient and troublesome he would take me away from here and put me in a boarding-school." "And you wouldn't like that ?" "No, indeed! for how could I bear to be separated from Gracie and Max ?" "I hope you won't have to go; I should be sorry enough on my own account as well as yours," Evelyn said, with an affectionate kiss.