FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79  
80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   >>   >|  
if he knew or suspected where she had been the day before. In fact, he did neither; he believed Lulu a more obedient child than she was, and had no idea that she had not done exactly as he bade her. This time she was so far obedient that she went nowhere except to the beach, but while wandering about there she was nursing unkind and rebellious thoughts and feelings; trying hard to convince herself that her father loved her less than he did his other children, and was more inclined to be severe with her than with them. In her heart of hearts she believed no such thing, but pretending to herself that she did, she continued her unlovely behavior all that day and the next, sulking alone most of the time; doing whatever she was bidden, but with a sullen air, seldom speaking unless she was spoken to, never hanging lovingly about her father, as had been her wont, but rather seeming to avoid being near him whenever she could. It pained him deeply to see her indulging so evil a temper, but he thought best to appear not to notice it. He did not offer her the caresses she evidently tried to avoid, and seldom addressed her; but when he did speak to her it was in his accustomed kind, fatherly tones, and it was her own fault if she did not share in every pleasure provided for the others. In the afternoon of the second day they were all gathered upon the beach as usual, when a young girl, who seemed to be a new-comer in 'Sconset, drew near and accosted Betty as an old acquaintance. "Why, Anna Eastman, who would have expected to see you here?" cried Betty, in accents of pleased surprise, springing up to embrace the stranger. Then she introduced her to Elsie, Violet, and Captain Raymond, who happened to be sitting near, as an old school friend. "And you didn't know I was on the island?" remarked Miss Eastman laughingly to Betty, when the introductions were over. "I hadn't the least idea of it. When did you arrive?" "Several days since--last Monday; and this is Friday. By the way, I saw you on Tuesday, though you did not see me." "How and where?" asked Betty in surprise, not remembering at the moment how she had spent that day. "At Sankaty Lighthouse; I was in a carriage out on the green in front of the lighthouse, and saw you and that little girl yonder (nodding in Lulu's direction) come out on the top of the tower; then a puff of wind took the child's skirts, and I fairly screamed with fright, expecting to see
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79  
80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

father

 

surprise

 

seldom

 
Eastman
 
believed
 

obedient

 

happened

 

Raymond

 
Captain
 

friend


Sconset
 

school

 

Violet

 

sitting

 

stranger

 

expected

 

acquaintance

 

island

 
accents
 

embrace


introduced

 

springing

 

pleased

 

accosted

 

Tuesday

 

lighthouse

 

yonder

 

nodding

 

carriage

 

Sankaty


Lighthouse

 

direction

 
fairly
 

skirts

 

screamed

 

fright

 

expecting

 
moment
 
arrive
 

Several


laughingly

 
introductions
 

Monday

 

remembering

 
Friday
 
remarked
 

addressed

 

severe

 

hearts

 

inclined