n give him as long as he lives as well."

She spoke vehemently, and a look of pride came into her face.

"I thank you for what you have said," came from Albert quickly, "for now
I shall dare to tell you another story before I go back. Not to-night,"
he added smiling, as she looked at him curiously, "but you shall hear it
in due time. Up at the cove, maybe, if to-morrow afternoon is pleasant.
I too am superstitious in some ways."

An unusual elation came to him after this, and perhaps to keep Telly
from guessing what his story was he talked upon every subject that might
interest her, avoiding the one nearest his heart. It came with a
surprise when the little clock chimed eleven, and he at once arose and
begged her pardon for the possible trespass upon conventional hours.
"You will go up to the cove with me?" he asked as he paused a moment at
the foot of the stairs.

"I shall enjoy it very much," she answered simply, "and I have a favor I
want to ask of you, which is, to let me make a sketch of you just where
you sat the time your boat drifted away."

When he retired it was long after he heard the clock downstairs strike
the midnight hour before he failed to note the ocean's voice beneath his
window, and in his dreams he saw Telly's face smiling in the firelight.

CHAPTER XXXV

THE "WIDDER" LEACH

"I'm goin' to give ye a taste o' mackerel fishin'," said Uncle Terry the
next morning after breakfast. "We'll go over to the fish house an' ye
can put on some oilers an' save yer good clothes." On the way they met
the well-remembered old lady Albert had first noticed at the
prayer-meeting. She recognized him, and offering a rather soiled hand
(for she had been spreading fish on the racks), exclaimed:

"In the Lord's name I thank ye, Mr. Page, for rememberin' a poor old
creetur like me and sendin' that dress. I make sure the Lord's teched
yer heart, an' if ye ain't a believer yet, ye will be."

"I am glad my little remembrance pleased you," answered Albert
pleasantly, "it was only a trifle, and you need not feel obligated for
it." He kept on after Uncle Terry, not wishing to waste any time; but
she followed to add more thanks, ending with, "God bless ye, sir; an'
may He warm the heart o' one good girl, fer ye desarve it."

It struck him as a little curious that this eccentric old lady should
have so well read his feelings towards Telly, but it pleased him just
the same. When he had donned a suit of oilers, and