“Yer isn’t fit ter be goin’,” the old fellow was objecting.  “Ye jist come back ter th’ house an’ git ter bed, where ye belongs.  Ye’ll get a mite o’ sleep an’ feel better.  ‘Tain’t fair ter be goin’ again right off.  You can’t hardly be a-holdin’ of yerself up.”

Of course all this made me positive that the doctor had been hitting a bottle pretty hard, and I was angry and sorry that Helen should see it too, because she’s taken a huge liking to that chap, and hitherto I could hardly blame her.  When I turned to her she was staring at him, and looked as if some one had hit her with a club.

“It is too bad, daughter,” I said.  “I would never have thought that he was that kind of a man.”

Then the poor girl grabbed my arm with a clutch which actually hurt.

The doctor and the old man were coming very near.  I saw the lad look up at us, and it was really pathetic to see how he tried to straighten himself up and steady his gait as he took his cap off, with a shaking hand.

“It’s really too bad,” I said again.

And then Helen just stared at me for an instant, shaking her head.

“I don’t believe it,” she cried.  “I won’t believe it.”

She let go my arm and dashed away from me.  I could see that the poor child was moved again by that instinct of helpfulness which you dear women have, and by the sense of loyalty to friends which girls like Helen always show.

“Oh!  What is the matter?” she cried.

Then I saw the doctor move back, and hold up his hand as if seeking to repel her.

“Go back!  Don’t come near me,” he said, hoarsely, and hurried on, unsteadily, while she stood there, dumbfounded, unable to understand.  I saw her sense of helplessness grow into resentment and wounded pride.  The poor little girl was hurt, Jennie, deeply hurt.

Our men had already invaded the house and were carrying the things away, and the population of Sweetapple Cove was gathering, for our departure was even a more wonderful event than our arrival.  There was not a house in the Cove that Helen had not visited, and she has made friends with every last Tom, Dick and Harry in the place, and their wives and children.  I know that the women have appreciated her friendly interest in their humble lives.  Some little children were howling, possibly at the prospect of being henceforth deprived of the sweets she has distributed among them.  All the fish-houses and the flakes were deserted, though it was a fine drying day.  The men came towards us, with slightly embarrassed timidity, and I shook hands all around as they grinned at us and wished us a good journey.  They actually wanted to carry me down to the yacht.

So I took Helen’s arm again, after declining their kind offers, and began my slow descent to the cove.

My poor girl was walking very erect, and she often smiled at the people who surrounded us.  But I could see that it took the greatest effort on her part.  I’m sure she was impatient to be gone and wanted to shut herself up in her stateroom.  It was so hard, Jennie, to see the dear child whose nature has ever been such a happy, cheery one, and who has never seemed to have a moment’s suffering in her life, give such evidence of pain and sorrow.