he made straight
for Tom, who was the only person visible.

"Is this the place where a lady is lying sick and another lady is
tendin' her?"

"That _is_ the case here," said Tom politely. "Miss Lothrop is
attending upon a sick friend in this house."

"That's it--Miss Lothrop. I'm her aunt. How's the sick lady? Dangerous?"

"Not at all, I should say," returned Tom; "but Miss Lothrop is very
much confined with her. She will be very glad to see you, I have no
doubt. Allow me to see about your room." And so saying, he would have
relieved the new comer of a heavy handbag.

"Never mind," she said, holding fast. "You're very obliging--but when
I'm away from home I always hold fast to whatever I've got; and I'll go
to Miss Lothrop's room. Are there more folks in the house?"

"Certainly. Several. This way--I will show you."

"Then I s'pose there's plenty to help nurse, and they have no call for
me?"

"I think Miss Lothrop has done the most of the nursing. Your coming
will set her a little more at liberty. She has been very much confined
with her sick friend."

"What have the other folks been about?"

"Not helping much, I am afraid. And of course a man is at a
disadvantage at such a time."

"Are they all men?" inquired Mrs. Marx suddenly.

"No--I was thinking of my own case. I would have been very glad to be
useful."

"O!" said the lady. "That's the sort o' world we live in; most of it
ain't good for much when it comes to the pinch. Thank you--much
obliged."

Tom had guided her up-stairs and along a gallery, and now indicated the
door of Lois's room. Lois was quite as glad to see her aunt as Tom had
supposed she would be.

"Aunty!--Whatever has brought you here, to the Isles of Shoals?"

"Not to see the Isles, you may bet. I've come to look after you."

"Why, I'm well enough. But it's very good of you."

"No, it ain't, for I wanted an excuse to see what the place is like.
You haven't grown thin yet. What's all the folks about, that they let
you do all the nursing?"

"O, it comes to me naturally, being with Mrs. Wishart. Who should do
it?"

"To be sure," said Mrs. Marx; "who should do it? Most folks are good at
keepin' out o' the way when they are wanted. There's one clever chap in
the house--he showed me the way up here; who's he?"

"Fair hair?"

"Yes, and curly. A handsome fellow. And he knows you."

"O, they all know me by this time."

"This one particularly?"

"Well--I knew him in New York."