been reading, and the book lay in her lap, one
hand resting upon the open page; but she was deep in meditation, her
eyes following the restless movements of the waves that, with the rising
tide, dashed higher and higher upon the beach below.

For the last half hour she had been the solitary tenant of the veranda,
while the others enjoyed their siesta or a lounge upon the beach.

Presently a noiseless step drew near her chair, some one bent down over
her and softly kissed her cheek.

"Papa" she said, looking up into his face with smiling eyes, "you have
come to sit with me? Let me give you this chair," and she would have
risen to do so, but he laid his hand on her shoulder, saying, "No; sit
still; I will take this," drawing up another and seating himself therein
close at her side.

"Do you know that I have been watching you from the doorway there for
the last five minutes?" he asked.

"No, sir; I deemed myself quite alone," she said. "Why did you not let
me know that my dear father, whose society I prize so highly, was so
near?"

"Because you seemed so deep in thought, and evidently such happy
thought, that I was loath to disturb it."

"Yes," she said, "they were happy thoughts. I have seemed to myself, for
the last few days, to be in the very land of Beulah, so delightful has
been the sure hope--I may say certainty--that Jesus is mine and I am
His; that I am His servant forever, for time and for eternity, as truly
and entirely His as words can express. Is it not a sweet thought, papa?
is it not untold bliss to know that we may--that we shall serve Him
forever? that nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ?"

"It is, indeed--Christ who is our life. He says, 'Because I live, ye
shall live also;' thus He is our life. Is He not our life also because
He is the dearest of all friends to us--His own people?"

"Yes; and how the thought of His love, His perfect sympathy, His
infinite power to help and to save, gives strength and courage to face
the unknown future. 'The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall
I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?'
'Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.'

"In view of the many dangers that lie around our every path, the many
terrible trials that may be sent to any one of us, I often wonder how
those who do not trust in this almighty Friend can have the least real,
true happiness. Were it my case, I should