r get her hat and coat,
saying, "You need fresh air and exercise. I will take you for a walk."

"I'd like to go, papa," she said; "but"--

"But what?"

"I--I'm afraid of--of meeting some of the family; and--and I don't want
to see any of them."

"Perhaps we shall not meet them," he said; "and, if we do, you need not
look toward them; and they will not speak to you. Put on your hat and
coat at once: we have no time to lose."

She obeyed; and presently they were walking down the avenue, not having
met any one on their way out of the house.

The captain moved on in silence, seemingly absorbed in sad thought, and
hardly conscious that Lulu was by his side.

She glanced wistfully up into his grave, stern face two or three times,
then said humbly, pleadingly, "Papa, please may I put my hand in yours?"

"Certainly," he said, looking down at her very kindly, as he took her
hand, and held it in a warm, affectionate clasp. "Child, you have not
lost your father's love. You are very dear to me, in spite of all your
naughtiness."

He slackened his pace, for he saw she was finding it difficult to keep
up with him; and his attention was again attracted to the heat of her
hand.

"You are not well, perhaps not able to walk?" he said inquiringly, and
in tenderly solicitous accents.

"It is pleasant to be out in the air, papa," she answered; "but it tires
me a good deal more than usual."

"We will not go far, then," he said; "and, if your strength gives out
before we get back to the house, I will carry you."

They were in the road now, some distance beyond the avenue-gates; and at
this moment a number of horsemen came in sight, approaching from the
direction opposite to that they were taking.

Perceiving them, Lulu uttered a sharp cry of terror, and shrank behind
her father, though still clinging to his hand.

"What is it, daughter?" he asked in surprise: "what do you fear?"

"O papa, papa!" she sobbed, "are they coming to take me and put me in
prison? Oh, don't let them have me!"

"Don't be frightened," he said soothingly. "Don't you see it is only
some men who have been out hunting, and are going home with their game?"

"Oh! is that all?" she gasped, the color coming back to her face, which
had grown deadly pale. "I thought it was the sheriff coming to put me in
jail for hurting the baby. Will they do it, papa? Oh! you won't let
them, will you?" she cried entreatingly.

"I could not protect you from the law," he