A sudden impulse moved her to run away.

But what good would that do?
Where could she go?
How find shelter, food, clothing?
And should she ever see father, brother, sisters again?
She moved on again down the hall, and slowly climbed the broad stairway leading to the one above.
Violet met her there and felt her heart sink as she glanced at the sullen, angry countenance.

She stopped, laid her hand kindly on the child's shoulder, and said, "Lulu, dear, I know pretty well what you have just been told by grandpa, and, my child, it distresses me exceedingly to think of you being sent away from us all." "You needn't care, Mamma Vi; _I_ don't," interrupted Lulu, angrily.

"I'd rather be away from people that ill-treat me so; I only wish I could go thousands of miles from you all, and never, _never_ come back." "Poor, dear, unhappy child!" Violet said, tears trembling in her beautiful eyes; "I know you cannot be other than miserable while indulging in such wrong feelings.

If I have ill-treated you in any way I have not been conscious of it, and am truly sorry, for it is my strong desire to be all that I should to my husband's dear children.