Polly sailed up the hill, triumphant in that consciousness of having done her duty as a Christian, but equally determined not to do it any more; and what with the consciousness of this noble performance, and what with the sealskin, found it in her power to be almost agreeable to her step-daughter, when the Captain, who, after all, was Lottie’s father, and did not like the idea that his girl should be banished from his house, had met her and brought her in. “She has not had the careful bringing-up that you have had, my child,” the Captain said. “She hasn’t had your advantages. You must have a little patience with her, for my sake.” Captain Despard had always been irresistible when he asked tenderly, with his head on one side, and an insinuating roll in his voice, that anything should be done for his sake. Lottie, who was happy in the sense of her lover’s readiness to sacrifice everything for her sake (as she thought), and to whom the whole world seemed fairer in consequence, yielded without any struggle; while Polly, on her part, put on her most gracious looks. “If you take every word I say for serious,” said Polly, “I don’t know whatever I shall do. I never was used to have my words took up hasty like that. I say a deal of naughtiness that I don’t mean--don’t I, Harry? You and me would never have come together, should we, if you’d always gone and taken me at my word?” And so the reconciliation was effected, and things went on as before. There was no similar occurrence in respect to Law, whose looks at Polly were murderous; but, then, Law had no delicacy of sentiment, and, whatever had happened, would have come into his meals all the same. CHAPTER XXXVI. FAMILY DUTY: BY A FINER ARTIST.