he young men who had accompanied them in the electric launch bidding good-night at the Peristyle, and all had retired to their res

for he walked with drooping head and downcas

I done anything to vex or trouble you?"

her into his arms, stroking her hair, patting her cheeks, and pressing a fond kiss upon her lips. "No, I have no fault

nto his eyes. "You looked at me so strangely two or three times to-night, and I so feared you were displeased with me that I cou

sh," he sighed, "that he can scarce brook the thought that someone els

just love to belong to you, and I always shall," she added, laying her head on his breast and gazing with ardent affection up into his eyes. "Besides, I am only a little girl yet, as you've told me over and

too well ever to intentionally stand in the way of her happiness, but I feel sure that the best place for h

with him and the others just as I do with the girls, but I'm, oh, so glad I belong to you, and will for years to come, if not always. Yes, I do hope it will be always, while we both live. And Gracie feels just the same. We had a little talk abo

so frail that I should be far from willing to resign the care of her to another. But now, dear chil

going too? for I am sure you mu

e pier. "I have been waiting to see the las

She had a long dreamless sleep, but woke at her usual early hour and, when morning duties had been attended to, went noiselessly up to

ding her close for a moment, then a little further o

ng to me and feeling so glad of your dear love and that you want to keep me all your own for ever so long." Then she added, with

ith a smile, "but of course I want you near me that I may

close to you as I can," she answered wi

paused and hesitated, as if fearful that he mig

e vexed with me,-but wasn't Mamma Vi

ut circumstances alter cases, and I hav

, and it was you she married, you who know so wel

patted her cheek, saying. "I am glad you

less than five or six,-and his fear that Chester and one or two others had already begun to perceive their charms, and might succeed all too soon in winning their affections; in reply to which

daughters bid fair to be at the same age; adding that besides he certainly ought to

hat wisdom some years earlier, my dear husband, for my life with you has been such a happy, happy one. Your

her tenderest caresses, "yet not quite so dear as their moth

s dearly, dearly; I could hardly bear to part with them, and I am glad to perceive that th

for a number of years to come," was his pleased response. "I have

I just delight in belonging to you," was Lucilla's g

er and daughter," he said. "I often think no man was

sirable to visit that day, and the final conclusion that they would go first to the b

, I presume I should say, and especially in company with a naval offic

said Mrs. Dinsmore, giving Captain R

al ship?" asked little Elsie, looking

rd of her she is exactly like one-a fac-simile of the coast

l, papa? Mightn't the

odels, and though quite a number are real and capable of doing terrible

Ned, straightening himself up with a very bra

for most assuredly nobody would dare to shoo

ed the little fellow, with a proudly aff

the captain. "We may go there without feelin

are ready for the day's pleasures," said Violet

inging Chester and Frank Dinsmore with them, and in a few

h-deck, and were shown that above the decks were steel turrets, through portholes of which deep-mouthed wooden guns projected. Also that she was fully manne

went to the lighthouse

d all of them viewed the paraphernalia used in the saving of life when a vessel is wrecked within sight of the shore. Some of them had already seen it on the Eastern shore, but were sufficiently interested to care to lo

t, now we are here, go into the Government

Mr. Dinsmore. "In what part o

in once, and found many things wel

y as he spoke, th

hibits of metal work, gun and cartridge-making

tleflags were far more so than anything else. It was the greatest collection ever seen outside of a government mu

s, etc. Famous relics, too, such as a beautifully carved bronze cannon captured from the British at Yorktown in 1781, and a great gun called "Long Tom,"

n, about which some remark had been made a moment before, "I s'pose t

ther, "but not here and now;" and with that she was

n," said Cousin Ronald with a humorous look and smile. "I'm not s

ain, "but this time and place are not the most fa

some quiet place, and tell them the story of the gun should they wish to hear