"I am sorry to be brought here by so unpleasant a duty as laying a complaint against you." "You needn't care; I don't," she said with the utmost nonchalance.
He lifted his eyebrows in astonishment, and had nearly forgotten his dignity so far as to utter a low whistle, but caught himself just in time.
Mr.Dinsmore frowned darkly.
"What is the meaning of such talk, Lulu ?" he inquired.

"If you do not care for the displeasure of teachers and guardians you are indeed a naughty girl." He paused for a reply, but none came, and he went on: "Professor Manton has brought me a report of your conduct to-day, agreeing substantially with the one given by yourself, and I have called you down to tell him in your presence that you are to go on taking lessons of Signor Foresti." Lulu's cheeks crimsoned, and she looked from one to the other with flashing eyes.
"Grandpa Dinsmore and Professor Manton, I have said several times, and I say it again, I will _never_ take another lesson from that man!" "Then you deliberately defy the authority of both the professor and myself ?" Mr.Dinsmore queried sternly.
"In this one thing I do." "The consequences may be very unpleasant," he said significantly and with rising anger.
"I know the consequences of giving up and taking lessons again from Signor Foresti would be very unpleasant," she retorted.
"Leave the room!" he commanded, with a stamp of the foot that sent Lulu's heart up into her throat, though she tried to appear perfectly calm and unconcerned as she silently rose and obeyed the order.
"Really the most amazingly audacious, impertinent child I ever saw!" muttered the professor.

Then aloud, "What is to be done with her, sir ?" he asked.
"She must be made to obey, of course," replied Mr.Dinsmore.
"Yes, yes, certainly; but what measure would you have me take to bring her to submission ?" "None; you will please leave all that to me." "Then if to-morrow she refuses to finish that interrupted lesson, you would have me simply report the fact to you ?" "No, sir; even that will be quite unnecessary; she will tell me herself.
I am proud to be able to say of her that she is a perfectly truthful and honest child." "I am glad to learn that she has at least one virtue as an offset to her very serious faults," observed the professor, dryly, then rising, "Allow me to bid you good-evening, sir," and with that he took his departure.
Mr.Dinsmore saw him to the outer door, then returning, began pacing the floor with arms folded on his breast and a heavy frown on his brow.
But presently Elsie and Violet came in, both looking anxious and disturbed, and stopping his walk he sat down with them and reported all that had passed during the call of Professor Manton; after which they held a consultation in regard to the means to be taken to induce Lulu to be submissive and obedient.
"Shall we not try mild measures at first, papa ?" Elsie asked with a look of entreaty.
"I approve of that course," he answered; "but what shall they be?
Have you anything to suggest ?" "Ah," she sighed, "it goes hard with me to have her disciplined at all; why will she not be good without it, poor, dear child!" "Let us try reasoning, coaxing, and persuading," suggested Violet, with some hesitation.
"Very well," her grandfather said; "you and your mother may try that to-night.

If it fails, tell her that so long as she is rebellious all her time at home must be spent in her own room and alone." "Dear grandpa," Violet said pleadingly, "that punishment would fall nearly as heavily upon Gracie as upon Lulu; and a better child than Grace is not to be found anywhere." "Yes, yes, and it is a pity; but I don't see that it can be helped.

It is a hard fact that in this sinful world the innocent have very often to suffer with the guilty.