It was a pleasant surprise to Lucilla to find Grandma Elsie and Walter there, and to learn that they had come to stay several days.

So it was easy to avoid being left alone with Captain Keith, and there was no more private talk between them.

When the carriage drove up to take him to his train she was on the veranda with the others, and he shook hands with her in her turn, saying, "Good-bye, Miss Lu.

I shall hope to hear from your father that you are well and happy." "Thank you; good-bye, and I wish you a safe journey," she said in reply, but without lifting her eyes to his face.
Just as she was ready for bed her father came to her room to bid her good-night as he so often did.
Taking her in his arms and looking searchingly into her eyes, "Is there anything wrong with you--anything troubling you, daughter ?" he asked tenderly.
"Yes, papa," she said, colouring and dropping her eyes.

"Oh, why did you let Captain Keith talk to me of--of love, when you have so often told me I was much too young to even think of such things ?" "Well, dear child," he said, "I knew it would be risking little or nothing, as I was certain I had too large a place in your heart to leave any room for him, but it seemed the only way to thoroughly convince him of that was to let him try to push himself in there.