y. "You think she would not have me?" he repeated.

"I think you will get over it," said Mrs. Marx, rising. "And I think
you had better find somebody that will suit your mother and sister."

And after that time, it may be said, Mrs. Marx was as careful of Lois
on the one side as Mrs. and Miss Caruthers were of Tom on the other.
Two or three more days passed away.

"How _is_ Mrs. Wishart?" Miss Julia asked one afternoon.

"First-rate," answered Mrs. Marx. "She's sittin' up. She'll be off and
away before you know it."

"Will you stay, Mrs. Marx, to help in the care of her, till she is able
to move?"

"Came for nothin' else."

"Then I do not see, mother, what good we can do by remaining longer.
Could we, Mrs. Marx?"

"Nothin', but lose your chance o' somethin' better, I should say."

"Tom, do you want to do any more fishing? Aren't you ready to go?"

"Whenever you like," said Tom gloomily.

CHAPTER XVII.

TOM'S DECISION.

The Caruthers family took their departure from Appledore.

"Well, we have had to fight for it, but we have saved Tom," Julia
remarked to Mr. Lenox, standing by the guards and looking back at the
Islands as the steamer bore them away.

"Saved!--"

"Yes!" she said decidedly,--"we have saved him."

"It's a responsibility," said the gentleman, shrugging his shoulders.
"I am not clear that you have not 'saved' Tom from a better thing than
he'll ever find again."

"Perhaps _you'd_ like her!" said Miss Julia sharply. "How ridiculous
all you men are about a pretty face!"

The remaining days of her stay in Appledore Lois roved about to her
heart's content. And yet I will not say that her enjoyment of rocks and
waves was just what it had been at her first arrival. The island seemed
empty, somehow. Appledore is lovely in September and October; and Lois
sat on the rocks and watched the play of the waves, and delighted
herself in the changing colours of sea, and sky, and clouds, and
gathered wild-flowers, and picked up shells; but there was somehow very
present to her the vision of a fair, kindly, handsome face, and eyes
that sought hers eagerly, and hands that were ready gladly with any
little service that there was room to render. She was no longer
troubled by a group of people dogging her footsteps; and she found now
that there had been, however inopportune, a little excitement in that.
It was very well they were gone, she acknowledged; for Mr. Caruthers
_might_ have come to lik