"Oh, I can never be thankful enough," she went on, "that the day my dear father was called home he said to me, 'My darling, you have been nothing but a blessing and comfort to me since the day you were born.'" "My father can never say that to me; I have already put it out of his power," thought Lulu to herself, with a great pain at her heart; and as soon as she found herself alone in her own room that night she wrote a little penitent note to him all blistered with tears.
Shortly after breakfast the next morning she went to "Grandma Elsie" with a request for permission to walk over to Fairview and spend an hour with Evelyn.
"You may, my dear, if you can get Max or some older person to walk with you," was Elsie's kind reply; "otherwise I will send you in the carriage, because it is not safe for you to walk that distance alone.

I think you and Evelyn are going to be friends, and I am very glad of it," she added with a pleasant smile.

"If she will come, you may bring her back with you to spend the day at Ion." "Oh, thank you, Grandma Elsie; that will be so nice!" cried Lulu, joyously; then bounded away in search of her brother.
Max, having nothing else to do just then, readily consented to be her escort, and they set out at once.
"A brother is of some use sometimes, isn't he ?" queried Max, complacently, as they walked briskly down the avenue together.
"Yes; and isn't a sister, too ?" asked Lulu.
"Yes, indeed," he said; "you are almost always ready to do me a good turn, Lu.

But, in fact, I'm taking this walk quite as much to please myself as you.

It's a very pleasant one on a morning like this, and Uncle Lester and Aunt Elsie are pleasant folks to visit." "I think they are," returned Lulu; "but I am going more to see Evelyn than anybody else.