e said:

"'Dear Cousin Jessie, I am going to bring company home, so for goodness'
sake do get up a good dinner. I send a whole basket of good things with
the boy who brings this note. Cook them all.'

"Well, I cooked the supper just as she wanted me to do. Oh! it was
dreadfully tempting, and right here let me say, whenever there's a
broken cup or saucer or plate in the house, or fork with only two
prongs, or a broken-handled knife, it always falls to me. My cousin
always says: 'It's good enough for Jessie Bain; let _her_ have it.'

"I prepared the dainty supper, ran and got every good knife and fork and
plate and cup and saucer, and hid them under an old oak-tree fully half
a mile away.

"I left out on the table only the broken things, to see how she'd like
them.

"By and by she and her beau came. I ran out the back door as I heard
them cross the front porch.

"Oh! but wasn't she mad! I watched her through the window, laughing so
hard I almost split my sides, and she fairly flew at me. Then I went
down and jumped into my little boat, and pushed away for dear life, to
be out of her reach. I rowed down to this island, thinking to fetch her
back some flowers to appease her mighty wrath; but I was so tired that I
fell asleep. I was frightened nearly to death when I awoke and saw that
it was dark night. I had a greater fright still when I discovered that
my little boat was gone--had drifted away."

Varrick had almost forgotten his own turbulent thoughts in listening to
the girl.

"Are you not afraid of punishment?" he asked, as they neared Fisher's
Landing.

He could see a quick, frightened look sweep over the girl's face.

"I don't know what they will do with me," she said.

"If they attempt to abuse you come straight to me!" cried Varrick, quite
forgetful in the eagerness of the moment what he was saying.

By this time they had reached Fisher's Landing. He sprung from the skiff
and helped her ashore.

"Good-night, and thank you ever so much," she said. And with a quick,
childish, thoughtless motion, she bent her pretty head and kissed the
strong white hand that clasped her own.

He had been so kind, so sympathetic to her, and that was something new
for Jessie Bain.

He watched her in silence as she flitted up the path, until she was lost
to sight in the darkness.

Then he re-entered his boat and made his way slowly back to the bay.

The spacious corridors of the grand Hotel Crossmon were wrapped in
s