But see! what is that? Each eye is strained to catch the sight.
Their hearts almost stand still as they watch two heads above the water, and as they near the island they are soon followed by Zula, who smiles as she steps on the shore. Guy soon follows, and brushes the water from his hair. The two are soon surrounded by friends and strangers with numerous words of praise for Zula’s bravery. She was glad to get to the hotel, where the ladies were only too eager to provide her with dry 52 clothing. There was nothing else talked of for the remainder of the day, but the disaster and the wonderful heroism of the little black-eyed girl, and when the pleasure-seekers were rowed back to the town by moonlight, all acknowledged that it had been a day which would not soon be forgotten.
The summer passed away, and Zula had been happy, but there was a tiny cloud in the background of her life, a fear that Crisp would, some day steal in upon her happiness and blight her life by taking her back to the old one of shadow and suffering. She had become warmly attached to Carrie and Guy, and often would she look at him and wish so earnestly that Crisp were like him. How happy she would be, and how she would love Crisp if he were like Guy. But Crisp was cruel, heartless and ignorant, never giving her a kind word, but instead cruel taunts and blows. When her mind wandered over those things she could not choke down the feeling of bitterness that struggled in her bosom, and she would whisper to herself that some day she would have her revenge. How little she knew in what way her revenge would be given.
CHAPTER VIII.
CRUEL CRISP.
It was near the middle of September that Mr. Platts and his family returned home. Mary was there to receive them, and very glad to see them.
It happened one day that Mary, having an unusual amount of work on hand, had requested Zula to go on an errand for her, to which she, ever ready to oblige, at once consented. It was nearing twilight and as Zula started to return home she was met by Crisp, who at once recognized her in spite of her changed countenance and neat attire.
“Oh, so I have found you. I have looked all over for you,” he said. “Maam wants to see you awful bad; she is so sick and she knows she is going to die; she says she must see you.”
“Is she really ill?”