"And what shall I say?" queried the captain. "That when I am the person under discussion no greater flatterers can be found than my wife and older daughters?" "Oh! we will excuse you from saying anything on the subject, sir," laughed Violet. "Now, what kind of a time did you all have staying at home without me?" asked Lucilla. "I hope you have missed me a little." "Of course we did," replied Grace. "Your father missed both his daughter and his amanuensis," said the captain. "Oh! there were letters to be answered?" she exclaimed. "Please let me do it now, papa?" "No, dear child, I answered them myself; and if I had not I should not let you work to-night, after all the fatigue of the day." "You are so kindly careful of me and all of us, papa," she said with a grateful, loving look into his eyes. "I am somewhat tired, but not too much so to use the typewriter, if you wanted any work done on it. It is such a pleasure to be of even a little service to my dear father." "And such a pleasure to your father to be served by so dear and loving a daughter," he returned; "one so valuable to me that I cannot consent to have her broken down with too much of either work or pleasure. You must go to bed presently and try to take a good night's rest after the exertions of the day." "I am ready to go whenever my father bids me," she said in a cheerful tone; "and I want to begin my night's sleep early enough to be ready for my usual stroll with him about the grounds before breakfast." "Yes; I should be sorry to have to take that without the pleasant company of my early bird of a daughter," he said. "I should miss her sadly." Lucilla's eyes shone. "Thank you, papa! it is very nice in you to say that," she said, "and I dearly love those early walks with you." CHAPTER XI. In less than a week after the Crolys had signified their intention of accepting the invitation to Roselands the news of their safe arrival was communicated to the family at Ion, and as soon as the doctor thought Mrs. Croly sufficiently rested to see visitors, Grandma Elsie and Rosie called upon them there. They were mutually pleased--Mrs. Croly delighted with the prospect of having so charming a daughter as Rosie. And now preparations for the wedding went on rapidly, the bride-elect, and those who were to be her attendants, being particularly interested in regard to their attire for the great occasion, and keeping the dressmakers very busy in fashioning their finery. Then, as the time drew near, relatives and friends from a distance began to arrive.