"Why, Gracie, what could have put such a notion into your head?"" said Max. "Mamma Vi, may I kiss you and it, too?" with an affectionate glance at her, then a gaze of smiling curiosity at the babe.
"Indeed, you may, Max," Violet answered, offering her lips.
"I"m glad she"s come, and I expect to love her dearly," he remarked, when he had touched his lips softly to the babe"s cheek, "though I"d rather she"d been a boy, as I have two sisters already and no brother at all."
"Haven"t you a kiss for me, Lulu, dear?" Violet asked half entreatingly, "and a welcome for your little sister?"
Lulu silently and half reluctantly kissed both, then turned and walked out of the room.
Violet looked after her with a slight sigh, but at that moment her own little brother and sister created a diversion by running in with a glad greeting for her and the new baby.
Their delight was rather noisily expressed, and no one of the little group either heard or saw a carriage drive up the avenue to the main entrance.
But Mr. Dinsmore and Elsie were on the watch for it (they had been exchanging meaning, happy glances all the morning), and ready with the warmest of greetings for the tall, handsome, n.o.ble looking man who hastily alighted from it and ran up the veranda steps.
"Dear mother!" he said, grasping Mrs. Travilla"s hand, then giving her a filial kiss.
"We are very glad to see you, captain," she said. "Your telegram this morning was a delightful surprise."
"Yes, it was, indeed, to all of us who knew of its coming," said Mr.
Dinsmore, shaking hands in his turn.
"My wife! how is she? and the children? are they all well?" asked the gentleman half breathlessly.
"All well," was the answer. "We told Violet you had reported yourself in Washington, and she will not be overcome at sight of you. You will find her in her own rooms."
He hurried thither, met Gracie at the head of the stairs, and caught her in his arms with an exclamation of astonishment and delight.
"Can this be my baby girl? this plump, rosy little darling?"
"Papa!" she cried, throwing her arms about his neck and hugging him tightly, while he kissed her again and again with ardent affection, "oh, have you come? No, I"m your own little Gracie, but not the baby girl now, for there"s a little one on mamma"s lap. Come, and I"ll show you."
"Ah!" he exclaimed, letting her lead him on. "I had not heard, have not had a letter for three or four weeks."
They were at the door. Gracie threw it open. Rose was holding the babe.
Violet looked up, started to her feet with a cry of joy, and in an instant was in her husband"s arms, weeping for very gladness.
For several moments they were conscious of nothing but the joy of the reunion; then with a sudden recollection she withdrew herself from his arms, took her babe, and laid it in them.
"Another darling," he said gazing tenderly upon it, "another dear little daughter! My love, how rich we are!"
He kissed it, gave it to the waiting nurse, and turned to his wife again.
"Let me help you to the sofa, love," he said.
"Lie down for a little. I fear this excitement will exhaust and injure you."
She let him have his way. He sat down by her side, held her hand, and bent over her in loving anxiety.
"Are you quite well?" he asked.
"Very well indeed," she said, looking up fondly into his face, "and, oh, _so_ happy now that you are here, my dear, dear husband!"
Gracie crept to his side and leaned lovingly against him.
"My little darling," he said, putting his arm round her and turning to give her a kiss. "But where are Max and Lulu?"
"Up in the boys" work-room, papa," she answered. "They don"t know you"ve come."
"Then I must enlighten their ignorance," he said gayly. "Excuse me a moment, my love. Take care of mamma for me while I"m gone, Gracie," and rising hastily he left the room.
Max and Lulu were busily engaged looking over designs and materials for their work, and discussing their comparative merits. So deeply interested were they that they took no note of approaching footsteps till they halted in the doorway, then turning their heads they saw their father standing there, regarding them with a proud, fond fatherly smile.
"Papa! O papa!" they both cried out joyfully, and ran into his outstretched arms.
"My dear, dear children!" he said, holding them close, and caressing first one, then the other.
He sat down with one on each knee, an arm around each, and for some minutes there was a delightful interchange of demonstrations of affection.
"Now you see, Lu, that papa does love us as well as ever," Max said, in a tone of mingled triumph and satisfaction.
"Did she doubt it?" asked the captain in surprise, and gazing searchingly into her face.
She blushed and hung her head.
"She thought the new baby would steal all your love," said Max.
"Silly child!" said her father, drawing her closer and giving her another kiss. "Do you think my heart is so small that it can hold love enough for but a limited number? Did I love Max less when you came? or you less when our Heavenly Father gave Gracie to us? No, daughter; I can love the newcomer without any abatement of my affection for you."
"Papa, I"m sorry I said it. I won"t talk so any more; and I mean to love the baby very much," she murmured with her arm about his neck, her cheek laid to his.
"I hope so," he said; "it would give me a very sad heart to know that you did not love your little sister.
"Well, Max, my son, what is it?"
The boy was hanging his head and his face had suddenly grown scarlet, "Papa, I--I--Did you get my letter and diary I sent you last month?"
"Yes; and Lulu"s also," the captain said, with a sigh and a glance from one to the other, his face growing very grave. "I think my children would often be deterred from wrongdoing by the thought of the pain it will cause their father, if they could at all realize how sore it is. It almost broke my heart, Max, to learn that you had again been guilty of the dreadful sin of profanity, and had learned to gamble also; yet I was greatly comforted by the a.s.surance that you were truly penitent, and hoped you had given your heart to G.o.d.
"My boy, and my little girl, there is nothing else I so earnestly desire for you as that you may be His true and faithful servants all your days, His in time and eternity."
A solemn silence fell on the little group, and for several minutes no one spoke.
Lulu was crying softly, and there were tears in Max"s eyes, while the father held both in a close embrace.
At length Lulu murmured, "I am sorry for all my naughtiness, papa, and do mean to try very hard to be good."
"I, too," said Max, struggling with his emotion, "and if you think I deserve (oh, I know I do), and, papa, if you think you ought to----"