"Probably in Washington; though it is possible he may have received his orders and gone aboard his vessel."
"And doubtless he is thinking of you, Eva, as you are of him," said Lucilla, speaking in low, tender tones.
"No doubt of it," said their father, "for he is very fond of his sweet, young wife. As we all are, daughter dear," he added, softly patting the small, white hand resting upon his arm.
"Dear father," she said, with emotion, "it is so kind in you to give me the fatherly affection I have so missed and longed for in years past."
"And daughterly affection from you is an adequate return," he said pleasantly. "I expect to enjoy that in all this winter's wanderings by sea and land."
"Wanderings which I am very glad to be allowed to share," she said; and then they talked of the various places they expected to visit while on this winter trip.
At length Evelyn, saying it was high time for her to join Grace in the stateroom they shared together, said good-night and returned to the cabin, but Lucilla delayed her departure a little longer—it was so pleasant to have her father all to herself for a bit of private chat before retiring for the night.
They paced the deck silently for a few moments, then she said: "Father, I have thought a good deal of that talk we had in our Bible lesson some time ago, about the second coming of Christ. Do you think it—his coming—is very near?"