The  villain,  with  a  shout  of  derision,  snatched  up  the  bundle
and  dashed  off  apparently  toward  the  fire.     There  was  but


ON   THE   BEACH.  415

a  feeble  attempt  made  to  follow  him.  Few  understood  the
case,  and  indeed  scenes  of  violence  and  terror  had  become
so  common  that  the  majority  had  grown  apathetic,  save  in
respect  to  their  personal  well-being.
Christine  lifted  the  pale  face,  down  which  the  blood  was
trickling,  into  her  lap,  and  cried,  in  a  tone  of  indescribable
anguish,  "  Oh,  he  is  dead  !  he  is  dead  ! "

"  Oh,  no,  miss ;  he  is  not  dead,  I  guess,"  said  a  good-
natured  voice  near.  "  Let  me  bring  a  hatful  of  water  from
the  lake,  and  that'll  bring  him  to."

And  so  it  did.  Dennis  opened  his  eyes,  put  his  hand  to
his  head,  and  then  looked  around.  But  when  he  saw  Chris-
tine bending  over  him  with  tearful  eyes,  and  realized  how
tenderly  she  had  pillowed  his  aching  head,  he  started  up
with  a  deep  flush  of  pleasure,  and  said  :  "  Do  not  be  alarmed.
Miss  Ludolph ;  I  was  only  stunned  for  a  moment.  Where
is  the  thief  ?  "

"  Oh,  they  let  him  escape,"  said  Christine,  indignantly.
"  Shame  ! "  cried  Dennis,  regaining  his  feet  rather  un-
steadily.
"Wal,  stranger,  a  good  many  wrongs  to-night  must  go
unrighted."

The  poor  girl  who  had  been  robbed  sat  on  the  sands
swaying  back  and  forth,  wringing  her  hands,  and  crying  that
she  had  lost  everything.
"  Well,  my  poor  friend,  that  is  about  the  case  with  the
most  of  us.  We  may  be  thankful  that  we  have  our  lives.
