in, Edith thought that she recognised a face, and on a little closer
inspection she saw it was old Joe Murray, who had stopped her course to
the beach a few evenings before. She did not wish to encounter Joe, so
slipping behind the blue jacketed crowd, she walked quickly forwards,
but Joe followed her.

"Young lady," he said, "if you are looking for corallines, you can't do
better than ask your papa some fine afternoon, to drive you as far as
Sheldon, and you'll find a sight of fine weeds there, as I know, for my
boy, my poor boy I lost, I mean," said he, again touching the rusty
crape on his hat, "my boy was very curious in those things, and had
quite a museum of 'em at home." How could Edith stand against such an
attack? It was plain that the old man wanted to make peace with her,
and, cheerfully thanking him, she was moving on, but the old boots
grinding the shingle, were again heard behind her, and turning round,
she saw Joe at her heels.

"Miss, I don't know as I ought to have stopped you that night. I am a
poor old fisherman, and you are a young lady, but I meant no harm, and
for the moment only did it in a joke."

"Oh, dear," said Edith, "don't think any more about it, I was very
cross that night, and you were quite right, I should have got Miss
Schomberg into sad trouble if I had gone that way. As it was, I was out
too late. Have you lost a son lately, said Edith, I heard you say you
had just now? Was he drowned?" inquired the child, kindly looking up
into Joe's face.

"Yes Miss, he was drowned," said Joe, "he came by his death very sadly.
Will you please, Miss, to come home with me, and I will shew you his