affection into the azure eyes gazing so pleadingly into his; "I can
scarcely bear to say no to you, dearest, but I have passed sentence upon
the offender and cannot revoke it."

The carriage drove off; the others had already gone, and Lulu was left
alone in the house, the one maid-servant left behind having already
wandered off to the beach.

"There!" cried Lulu, stamping her foot with passion, then dropping into
a chair, "I say it's just too bad! She isn't old enough to be my mother,
and I won't have her for one; I sha'n't mind her! Papa had no business
to marry her. He hardly cares for anybody else now, and he ought to love
me better than he does her; for she isn't a bit of relation to him,
while I'm his own child.

"And I sha'n't wear dowdy, old-womanish dresses to please her, along
with other girls of my size that are dressed up in their best. I'd
rather stay at home than be mortified that way, and I just wish I had
told him so."

She was in so rebellious a mood that instead of at once changing her
dress in obedience to her father's command, she presently rose from her
chair, walked out at the front door and paraded through the village
streets in her finery, saying to herself, "I'll let people see that I
have some decent clothes to wear."

Returning after a little, she was much surprised to find Betty Johnson
stretched full length on a lounge with a paper-covered novel in her
hand, which she seemed to be devouring with great avidity.