Eglanton Thorne

“ There was absolutely no cause for regret.
"Well, Beryl, my darling,"' said her father, putting his arm around her as they walked together to the house, "has your birthday party come up to your expectations? Have you enjoyed it as much as you thought you would have?"
"Oh yes, papa, as much, and more," exclaimed Beryl; "nothing could be more delightful. It has been the happiest day of my life. How good of Percy to think of those fireworks? And the lanterns too!—who thought of them?"
"It was all Master Percy's planning," said Mr. Hollys; "you must thank him for the illuminations." ”

“ The fishermen's lives are as dear as the lives of those on board that ship. They have wives and children to live for."
"Oh, Lucy, I will never say again that I like storms," said Beryl remorsefully. "Oh, I hope the ship will be saved!"
"I remember, many years ago, when I was a little girl, there was a vessel struck on those rocks," said Lucy, "and all on board her were drowned, though there were over a hundred of them."
"How dreadful!" said Beryl, with a shiver, as she watched the light drifting nearer and nearer to the deadly peril of the rocks. ”

“ Despard; "but I have never thought much of religion, and now I fear the door of that kingdom is closed against me."
"But Jesus is the door," said Beryl. "David Gilbank said so; he told me to come to Jesus, who said,—'Suffer little children to come unto Me.' But then you are not a little child; I forgot that. I don't know what you must do."
"No, I do not know what I can do," was the sad response.
"But the kingdom is for men and women too. He said that; so I do not see why you should not come, although you are not a little child," observed Beryl. "If I were you, I should ask Jesus to let me in." ”

“ Beryl did not wait to see if Coral were hurt, but ran off at full speed along the beach, as if anxious to get as far away as possible. But run as fast as she might, Beryl could not escape from the evil self which was the source of her unhappiness. She came to a sudden halt as she caught sight of a distant figure seated in a quiet nook amongst the rocks, with easel and paint-box at hand. She had no inclination now to bound forward to greet the artist. She fancied that Mr. Gilbank would be able to read in her face the secret of her naughtiness. ”

“ Beryl could not speak; for once her usual self-possession failed her. Tears came into her eyes at the sight of that pale, sad face; she looked down, and said nothing.
"Mamma," cried Coral, pressing forward with her flowers, "look what lovely violets we have picked for you! Just smell how sweet they are! They all grew in the garden, every one of them."
"My little Coral, my poor, poor Coral!" said her mother, clasping her close, and looking on her with the glance of hungering love. "You have no father to care for you now, and I too must soon leave you. Oh, how can I? ”

“ Does not that please you, Lucy?"
"Yes, it's all very fine," said Lucy, tears coming into her eyes as she spoke; "and of course I'm proud of Joe; but I reckon the Royal Humane Society could not have brought him to life again if he had been drowned; and he is the only brother I've got, and I can't help thinking how different it might have been."
"Well, really, Lucy, you are silly to cry over what has not happened," said plain-spoken, practical Beryl. "Think what it is for this poor little girl to lose her father. That is a real thing, and far worse." ”

“ May dawned so fresh and beautiful, that it was impossible for thoughts of sorrow to dwell in their childish hearts.
It was delightful to pass the sunny mornings on the beach, hunting for shells and seaweed, or raising with their spades castles or embankments, which the incoming tide always swept away. It was warm enough now for Beryl to commence the bathing which she so thoroughly enjoyed. Beryl's swimming seemed to Coral a wonderful performance. She did not soon forget the fright Beryl gave her on the morning on which they first ventured into the water. ”

“ There will be a great storm presently."
"Oh, I am sorry to hear that," said Miss Hollys, with a sigh; "I can't sleep when there is a storm. It makes me feel so nervous and weak."
"How would you like it, if you were on board a ship out in the midst of the storm?" returned Beryl, thinking that Lucy's remarks might be repeated to her aunt with advantage. "It will be far worse for the poor sailors than for you."
"I should not like it at all; it would kill me," said Aunt Cecilia.
"I wonder what it feels like to be drowned!" said Beryl, pursuing her own train of thought. ”

“ She exclaimed at seeing Miss Beryl standing with bare feet on the cold matting.
"Hush, Lucy," said Beryl, in a shrill whisper, giving her nurse an indignant glance. "You will wake the child if you make such a noise, and she looks so tired, poor little thing."
Lucy made no reply, but quietly fetched the young lady's shoes and stockings from the other side of the room, and Beryl had time to observe that her nurse's eyes were very red, as though she had been weeping.
"Whatever is the matter with you, Lucy?" she asked. "What have you been crying about? Has Aunt Cecilia been scolding you again?" ”

“ I hope you will never marry again, papa."
"Why should you hope that?" he returned almost sharply. "I might marry a good woman whom you would love and who would make you happy."
"Oh, I could not be happy with a stepmother," exclaimed Beryl confidently. "They are never good. I should hate her—I know I should."
"That is a foolish notion you have picked up," said her father. "You should not speak in that positive way about things you know nothing of."
"But, papa, you are not thinking of marrying, are you?" asked Beryl, getting alarmed. ”

“ Beryl's face grew hotter and tears came into her eyes. She could not bear to think that this horrid boy knew all about her doings, and was making fun of them. It was unkind of her father to have told him. She lifted an appealing, almost reproachful glance to him at the thought.
"Come, come, Percy; you are touching a painful subject," said Mr. Hollys, as he saw Beryl's look of annoyance. "We none of us like to be reminded of past follies, you know." ”

“ And I really believe they understood what I said."
"And didn't they sing the hymn well!" said Coral.
The hearts of the young teachers were glad and thankful as they went home. What a joyful thing life seemed that summer afternoon! The radiant sunshine, the shining waves, the bright sky, all spoke to them of love and joy. Even for these children, life was becoming a grander, more blessed thing, now that they were learning to care for the good of others.
Beryl did not always find her scholars so attentive as they had been on this occasion. ”

“ Yet she would have made the attempt, hazardous though it seemed, had Coral wished it; but her little adopted sister cried out in terror at the mere suggestion of Beryl's leaving her.
"Oh, Beryl, do not leave me; please do not leave me!" she cried; "I dare not stay alone in this dreadful place. Let us keep together, whatever happens. If we must be drowned, let us hold each other tightly, and then, perhaps, it will not seem quite so bad."
The children clung to each other as the waves washed over their feet. How awful seemed the death which threatened them in that gloomy place! ”

“ Coral looked up in alarm, for Beryl's face was so serious, and her tone so tragic, that the child knew not what to expect.
"Oh, Beryl! What is it? Please tell me quickly!" she exclaimed, as Beryl tried to heighten the effect of her words by an impressive pause.
"All our nice times are over," said Beryl solemnly; "We shall never be able to play alone again, or to go on the beach or anywhere without some one to look after us, or to do anything that we like. The governess is really coming at last, Coral!" ”

“ Already the angry sea had swept over her, carrying many to death; but they could distinguish some human forms clinging with the grasp of despair to mast and rigging.
"Is it quite impossible to help them? Is there nothing you could do?" asked Mr. Hollys of the fishermen about him.
"We have ropes and life-buoys, sir," answered Joe Pollard, Lucy's brother, a brave, sturdy fellow, of honest Cornish race. "When it comes to the worst, we may be able to pull in some, if the waves bring them near enough." ”

“ Beryl entered the drawing-room, a long, low room with a painted ceiling, and a bow-window, which commanded a fine sea-view. The room felt warm, even to closeness, for a large fire of logs burned in the grate, and suffused through the apartment the fragrance of burning wood. Beryl could not see the fire as she came in, for a large black and gold screen completely hid the hearthrug. Going round to the other side of the screen, Beryl saw her aunt, comfortably stretched on a sofa, with a novel in her hand, in which she seemed greatly interested. ”

“ Meanwhile, at the extremity of the beach where Sheldon Point ran out grim and sharp into the sea, a crowd of fisher-folk had gathered, and were watching with grief and horror the oncome of the doomed vessel.
There were brave hearts in that throng, men who would not shrink from danger in attempting to save the lives of others; but even these held back now, feeling that it would be certain destruction to commit themselves to those seething, angry waves.
Mr. Hollys had called for the lifeboat when he came down to the beach, but no seaman had echoed the call. ”

“ Beryl asked one day. "I feel just as weak as ever. You don't think I shall die, do you? I hope it's not wicked of me, but I don't want to die. I would so much rather get well and live with papa."
Mr. Hollys, who was sitting at the further side of the bed, half-hidden by the curtain, leaned forward and looked anxiously at his child as she said this, but Miss Burton replied cheerfully, "It is not wicked, dear; but only right that you should wish to get well. You are stronger, although you may not feel it yet. You have a better pulse, and there is a tinge of colour stealing back into your cheeks. ”

“ He had the air of a well-to-do English gentleman, who led an easy, comfortable life, carefully avoiding all unnecessary trouble and vexation.
"Well, Beryl, how are you?" he asked, as he took her in his arms. "Quite well? That's right. You look well enough. Why, how you have grown since Christmas, child! I declare you look nothing but legs and arms."
"I'm glad you think I've grown, papa," said Beryl, with pride; "I want to be very tall; as tall as you, papa."
"Not quite as tall as I am, I hope," he replied; "or you will be a female monstrosity, Beryl. How is your aunt? Let us go and find her. ”

“ Feeling that she had made a great discovery, Beryl crawled back the way she had come, and called to Coral to follow her. Coral, being smaller, made her entrance even more easily than Beryl had done, but she was awestruck at the gloom of the place into which Beryl introduced her. The rocky passage would have been in utter darkness but for the faint, weird gleams of light which stole in at either entrance. The walls were so low that the children were obliged to bend their heads, as they groped their way along; a grown-up person would have been obliged to creep on all fours. ”

“ Beryl scarcely knew whether she wished it or not. It seemed to her at that moment as if there were two Percys—the Percy who had been her tormentor and plague, and the Percy who had borne his pain with such courage, and thanked her so gratefully for the help she had given him. She felt rather shy of going into the presence of the Percy whose pale, suffering face had haunted her, ever since she watched him lying still and exhausted on the sofa in the dining-room. ”

“ I should think they must feel as if they were at school," said Beryl, to whom school-life seemed an experience to be dreaded. "Oh, papa, cannot you guess what I want you to do? I want you to promise that Coral shall never go away, unless her mother should get better, and wish to take her away. I want you to say that she may live with us always, and be my little sister."
"Well, upon my word, a slight request, truly," said Mr. Hollys. "Do you think I am such a rich man, Beryl, that I can afford to adopt daughters upon a moment's notice?" ”

“ The child was learning a lesson that no one, old or young, finds easy to learn—the lesson that God's love is as real and great when clouds shadow our pathway, as it is when we walk in sunshine. But with the first glimpse of the truth, leading her to look up to God with childlike trust and love, a feeling of sweet peace came to her heart. ”