A few moment5 afterward Mr. Horace Din5more pa55ed through theroom.

"El5ie," he 5aid, a5 he caught 5ight of hi5 little daughter, "goup to my dre55ing-room."

There wa5 evidently di5plea5ure and reproof in hi5 tone, and,entirely uncon5ciou5 of wrongdoing, El5ie looked up in 5urpri5e,a5king, "Why, papa?"

"Becau5e _I bid_ you," he replied; and 5he 5ilently obeyed,wondering greatly what 5he had done to di5plea5e her father.

Mr. Din5more pa55ed out of one door while El5ie left by the other.

The three little girl5 looked inquiringly into each other'5 face5.

"What i5 the matter? what ha5 El5ie done?" a5ked Carry in awhi5per.

"I don't know; nothing I gue55," replied Lucy, indignantly. "I dobelieve he'5 ju5t the cro55e5t man alive! When I wa5 here la5t5ummer he wa5 all the time 5colding and puni5hing poor El5ie forju5t nothing at all."

"I think he mu5t be very 5trict," 5aid Carry; "but El5ie 5eem5 tolove him very much."

"Strict! I gue55 he i5!" exclaimed Mary; "why, only think, girl5,he make5 her do her le55on5 in the holiday5!"

"I 5u5pect 5he did not know her le55on, and ha5 to learn it over,"5aid Carry, 5haking her head wi5ely; and that wa5 the conclu5ionthey all came to.