she returned, catching hold of him and
throwing it over his shoulders; "men have to obey their wives once in
awhile; Lu's not drowning; don't you believe it; and she may as well get
a wetting as you."

Grace, hiding her head in Violet's lap, was sobbing bitterly, the latter
stroking her hair in a soothing way, but too full of grief and alarm
herself to speak any comforting words.

"Don't cry, Gracie; and, Vi, don't look so distressed," said Betty.
"Lulu, like myself, is one of those people that need never be worried
about--the bad pennies that always turn up again."

"Then she isn't fit for heaven," remarked Rosie in an undertone not
meant for her sister's ear; "but I don't believe," she added in a louder
key, "that there is anything worse the matter than too long a walk for
her to get back in good season."

"That is my opinion, Vi," said Mrs. Dinsmore; and Elsie added, "Mine
also."

No one spoke again for a moment, and in the silence the heavy boom, boom
of the surf on the beach below came distinctly to their ears. Then there
was a vivid flash of lightning and a terrific thunder crash, followed
instantly by a heavy down-pour of rain.

"And she is out in all this!" exclaimed Violet in tones of deep
distress. "Dear child, if I only had her here safe in my arms, or if her
father were here to look after her!"

"And punish her," added Rosie. "It's my humble opinion that if ever a
girl of her age needed a good whipping, she does."

"Rosie," said her mother, with unwonted severity, "I cannot allow you to
talk in that way. Lulu's faults are different from yours, but perhaps no
worse; for while she is passionate and not sufficiently amenable to
authority, you are showing yourself both uncharitable and Pharisaical."

"Well, mamma," Rosie answered, blushing deeply at the reproof, "I cannot
help feeling angry with her for giving poor Vi so much unnecessary worry
and distress of mind. And I am sure her father must have felt troubled
and mortified by the way she behaved for two or three days while he was
here."

"But he loves her very dearly," said Violet; "so dearly that to lose
her in this way would surely break his heart."

"But I tell you he is not going to lose her in this way," said Betty in
a lively tone; "don't you be a bit afraid of it."

But Violet could not share the comfortable assurance; to her it seemed
more than likely Lulu had been too venturesome, and that a swiftly
incoming wave had carried her off h