love you, if you were not my own dear child," he said,
laying his hand on her head as he stood by her side, "I don't think I
could be at the trouble and pain of disciplining you as I have to-night.
But eat your supper: I can't stay with you much longer, and I want to
see you in bed before I go."

As she laid her head on her pillow again, there was a flash of
lightning, followed instantly by a .crash of thunder and a heavy
downpour of rain.

"Do you hear that?" he asked. "Now, suppose I had let you go when I
caught you trying to run away, how would you feel, alone out of doors,
in the darkness and storm, no shelter, no home, no friends, no father to
take care of you, and provide for your wants?"

"O papa! it would be very, very dreadful!" she sobbed, putting her arm
round his neck as he bent over her. "I'm very glad you brought me back,
even to punish me so severely; and I don't think I'll ever want to run
away again."

"I trust not," he said, kissing her good-night; "and you must not leave
this room till I give you permission. I intend that you shall spend some
days in solitude,--except when I see fit to come to you,--that you may
have plenty of time and opportunity to think over your sinful conduct
and its dire consequences."

CHAPTER XIII.

"I'm on the rack;
For sure, the greatest evil man can know,
Bears no proportion to the dread suspense."

"Is there any change, doctor?" asked Capt. Raymond, meeting Arthur Conly
in the hall.

"Hardly," was the reply: "certainly none for the worse."

"Will she get over it, do you think?" The father's tones were unsteady
as he asked the question.

"My dear captain, it is impossible to tell yet," Arthur said feelingly;
"but we must try to hope for the best."

Their hands met in a warm clasp.

"I shall certainly do so," the captain said. "But you are not going to
leave us,--especially not in this storm?"

"No: I expect to pass the night in the house, ready to be summoned at a
moment's notice, should any change take place."

"Thank you: it will be a great satisfaction to us to know we have you
close at hand." And the captain turned and entered the nursery, which
Arthur had just left.

Violet, seated by the side of the crib where her baby lay, looked up on
her husband's entrance, greeting him with a smile of mingled love and
sadness.

"Your dear presence is such a comfort and support!" she murmured as he
drew near. "I don't like to lose sight of you for a