ed. "The mental strain
of the past two days has evidently been too much for her: she must have
suffered greatly from grief, remorse, and terror. Relief from those will
be the best medicine she could have, and probably work a speedy cure.
Good-evening."

He hurried away, and the captain went at once to Lulu.

She was on the bed where he had left her, but, at the opening of the
door, started up, and turned to him with a look of wild affright.

"Papa!" she cried breathlessly, "is--is the baby?--Oh, no! for how glad
your face is!"

"Yes, baby is very much better; in fact, quite out of danger, the doctor
thinks. And you? have you not slept?" he asked, bending over her in
tender solicitude; for she had fallen back on her pillow, and was
sobbing as if her heart would break, weeping for joy as she had before
wept with sorrow, remorse, and penitence.

He lifted her from the bed, and sat down with her in his arms.

"Don't cry so, daughter, dear," he said soothingly, softly caressing her
hair and cheek: "it will make your head ache still more."

"I can't help it, papa: I'm so glad, so very, very glad!" she sobbed;
"so glad the dear baby will get well, and that I--I'm not a murderess.
Papa, won't you thank God for me?"

"Yes," he said with emotion,--"for you and myself and all of us."

When they had risen from their knees, "Now I hope you can sleep a while,
and afterward eat some supper," he said, lifting her, and gently laying
her on the bed again.

"O papa! I wish you could stay with me a little longer," she cried,
clinging to his hand.

"I cannot stay now, daughter," he said; "but I will come in again to bid
you good-night."

He leaned over her, and kissed her several times. She threw her arm
round his neck, and drew him down closer.

"Dear, dear papa!" she sobbed: "you are the best father in the world!
and oh, I wish I was a better girl! Do you think I--I'm a curse to you
now?"

"I think--I believe you are going to be a very great blessing to me, my
own darling," he answered in tones tremulous with emotion. "I fear I was
hard and cruel in what I said when I came to you that first time last
night."

"No, papa, I deserved it every bit; but it 'most broke my heart, because
I love you so. Oh, I do want to be a blessing to you, and I mean to try
with all my might!"

"My dear little girl, my own little daughter, that is all I can ask," he
said, repeating his caresses.

Then he covered her up with tender care, a