She had not gone far when Grace came tripping over the sands to meet her, her face sparkling with delight as she held up a note to view, exclaiming, “See, Lu! papa did not forget me; it came inside of mamma’s letter.”

“Oh, Gracie, I am glad,” said Lulu; “but it would be very strange for papa to remember the bad child and not the good one, wouldn’t it?” she concluded, between a sigh and a smile.

“I’m not always good,” said Grace; “you know I did something very, very bad last winter one time—­something you would never do.  I b’lieve you’d speak the truth if you knew you’d be killed for it.”

“You dear little thing!” exclaimed Lulu, throwing her arm round Grace and giving her a hearty kiss; “it’s very good in you to say it; but papa says I’m an honest child and own the truth even when it’s against me.”

“Yes; you said you told him how you had disobeyed him; and If it had been I, I wouldn’t have ever said a word about it for fear he’d punish me.”

“Well, you can’t help being timid; and if I were as timid as you are, no doubt I’d be afraid to own up too; and I didn’t confess till after that Miss Eastman had told on me,” said Lulu.  “Now let’s sit down on the sand, and if you’ll show me your letter, I’ll show you mine.”

Grace was more than willing, and they busied themselves with the letters, reading and rereading, and with loving talk about their absent father, till summoned to the supper-table.

Lulu was very fond of being on the beach, playing in the sand, wandering hither and thither, or just sitting gazing dreamily out over the waves; and her father had allowed her to do so, only stipulating that she should not go out of sight or into any place that looked at all dangerous.

“I’m going down to the beach,” she said to Grace, when they had left the table that evening; “won’t you go too?”

“Not yet,” said Grace; “baby is awake, and looks so sweet that I’d rather stay and play with her a little while first.”

“She does look pretty and sweet,” assented Lulu, glancing toward the babe, cooing in its nurse’s arms, “but we can see enough of her after we go home to Ion, and haven’t the sea any more.  I’ll go now, and you can come and join me when you are ready.”

Leaving the house, Lulu turned southward toward Sunset Heights, and strolled slowly on, gazing seaward for the most part, and drinking in with delight the delicious breeze as it came sweeping on from no one knows where, tearing the crests of the waves and scattering the spray hither and yon.

The tide was rising, and it was keen enjoyment to watch the great billows chasing each other in and dashing higher and higher on the sands below.  Then the sun drew near his setting, and the sea, reflecting the gorgeous coloring of the clouds, changed every moment from one lovely hue to another.

Lulu walked on and on, wilfully refusing to think how great might be the distance she was putting between herself and home, and at length sat down, the better to enjoy the lovely panorama of cloud and sea which still continued to enrapture her with its ever-changing beauty.