ldren. Miss Armitage came over every day to
inquire about both invalids. Mrs. Vanderveer dozed a good deal and the
numbness seemed crawling further up her body.

"She may have another stroke and she may go just this way," said Mrs.
Holmes, "I wouldn't give her more than a month at the longest. I've
seen it so many times. But it is merciful for them not to last
years."

It was mid-October then. The seamstress proved a treasure. Garments
were completed and laid away.

"I want most of the work finished up in November," said Mrs. Borden,
"then we can plan all the other matters."

"I shall have to look up some one else. I want a nurse to take up the
children in the morning and wash and dress them, and they must go out.
They're losing all their lovely weather. Marilla doesn't seem to get
along at all. If she's going to develop some heart trouble she will
just be good for nothing. Of course, when I took her she seemed
healthy enough, and it was the best thing to do then. John has had
some good luck this fall and we don't need to think of saving up money
for the mortgage. I could afford a regular nurse, and it would ease me
up so much. I don't suppose they'd take Marilla back at the Home."

"Talk to John about it if; we _could_ find a new place for her. Why,
she would make a nice little waitress. If you could keep three girls,"
laughingly.

"Dear me, we must not spread out too rapidly, and somehow I'd hate to
give her up. She trains the children so nicely. And have you noticed
how sort of gentlemanly Jack is growing toward her? He was real
rude."

Jack had experienced many qualms of conscience about throwing the ball
that day, but Marilla made no reference to it. Still she might tell
Bridget, she and Bridget were such cronies, and Bridget would make an
awful fuss.

"Marilla," he said one night when she was getting him ready for
bed--"I didn't mean to hurt you that day with the ball--you know. I
didn't think girls were so tender."

"I was tired and there had been something stopping my breath like, now
and then, maybe it wasn't the ball."

"You were good not to tell on a fellow. I'll never, never hurt you
again, nor pinch you, nor be ugly to you. You're so sweet, Marilla,"
and he clasped his arms around her neck, kissing her.

CHAPTER XI

THE ARK OF LOVE

The glowing golden October weather had given place to several lowering
days. Furnaces and grates were started up, and overcoats brought out,
and pedes