He made a pleasant remark to Violet, fondled the little ones, and talked
for a few minutes in his usual agreeable way with Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore
and the others; then glancing about the room, as if in search of someone
or something, asked, "Where are Lulu and Gracie?"
"Why, I thought they were here," Violet answered in some surprise,
following the direction of his glance. "They seem to have slipped out of
the room very quietly."
"I must hunt them up, poor dears! for it is about time we were starting
for the _Dolphin_," he said, hastily leaving the room. A low sobbing
sound struck upon his ear as he softly opened the door of the room
where his little girls had slept the previous night, and there they were
down on the carpet near a window, Gracie's head in her sister's lap,
Lulu softly stroking the golden curls and saying in tender tones,
"Don't, Gracie dear; oh, don't! It can't be helped, you know; and we
have our dear papa and Mamma Vi, and the little ones left. Besides,
Maxie will come home again to visit us one of these days."
"Oh, but he'll never live at home with us any more," sobbed Gracie; "at
least I'm afraid he won't; and--and oh, I do love him so! and he's the
only big brother we have.
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