His children have settled there, and, of course, the father and mother want to be with them." The sun had set, and all the bright hues had faded from the sea, leaving it a dull gray.
"What a deserted spot this seems!" remarked Zoe, "and only the other day it was gay with crowds of people.

Nobody to be seen now but ourselves," glancing up and down the coast as she spoke.

"Ah, yes! yonder is someone sitting on that piece of wreck." "It is Lulu Raymond," Edward said, following the direction of her glance.
"It is late for the child to be out so far from home; a full mile I should say.

I'll go and invite her to walk back with us." "No, you needn't," said Zoe, "for see, there is her father going to her.
But let us go home, for I must change my dress before tea." "And we want time to walk leisurely along," returned Edward, rising and giving her his hand to help her up the steps.
Lulu was reading, so absorbed in the story that she did not perceive her father's approach, and as he accosted her with, "It is late for you to be here alone, my child, you should have come in an hour ago," she gave a great start, and involuntarily tried to hide her book.
"What have you there?
Evidently something you do not wish your father to see," he said, bending down and taking it from her unwilling hand.
"Ah, I don't wonder!" as he hurriedly turned over a few pages.

"A dime novel! Where did you get this, Lulu ?" "It's Max's, papa, he lent it to me.