You know, papa, that I am but a weak, weak girl; but when I do a wrong
thing, I feel very penitent--I cannot rest."

"You never did wrong, darling," said Osborne, pressing his lips to her
cheek, "you never did wrong."

"Papa says I did not do much wrong; yet at one time I did not think so
myself; but there is a thing presses upon me still. Papa," she added,
turning abruptly to him, "are there not such things in this life as
judgments from heaven?"

"Yes, my dear, upon the wicked who, by deep crimes, provoke the justice
of the Almighty; but the ways of God are so mysterious, and the innocent
so often suffer whilst the guilty escape, that we never almost hazard
an opinion upon individual cases." "But there are cast-aways?" "Yes,
darling; but here is Charles anxious to take you out to walk. With such
a prospect of happiness and affection before you both, you ought surely
to be in the best of spirits."

"Well, I can see why you evade my question," she replied; but she added
abruptly, "bless us, papa, bless us." She knelt down, and pulled Charles
gently upon his knees also, and joining both hands together, bent her
head as if to receive the benediction.

Oh, mournful and heart-breaking was her loveliness, as she knelt down
before the streaming eyes of her family--a Magdeline in beauty, without
her guilt.

The old man, deeply moved by the distress of the interesting pair then
bent before him, uttered a short prayer suitable to the occasion, after