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