confidingly thrust into
his.

'I should not mind it, if you were coming too, Mr. Tom!'

'What, to play at French billiards?'

'No, indeed! To find objects for the microscope. I shall save all the
objects I meet, and send them home in a letter.'

'An alligator or two, or a branch of the Mississippi,' said Tom, in a
young man's absent way of half-answering a pet child; but the reply so
struck Ella's fancy, that, springing through the open French window,
she cried, 'Oh, Ave, Ave, here is Mr. Tom saying I am to send him a
branch of the Mississippi in a letter, as an object for his microscope!'

'I beg your pardon,' said Tom, shocked at Averil's nervous start, and
still more shocked at her appearance. She looked like one shattered by
long and severe illness; her eyes were restless and distressed, her
hair thrust back as if it oppressed her temples, her manner startled
and over-wrought, her hand hot and unsteady--her whole air that of one
totally unequal to the task before her. He apologized for having taken
her by surprise, and asked for her brother. She answered, that he was
busy at Mr. Bramshaw's, and she did not know when he would come in.
But still Tom lingered; he could not bear to leave her to exertions
beyond her strength. 'You are tiring yourself,' he said; 'can I do
nothing to help you?'

'No, no, thank you; I am only looking over things. Minna is helping
me, and I am making an inventory.'

'Then you must let me be of use to you. You must be as quiet as
possible. You need rest.'

'I can't rest; I'm better busy!' she said hastily, with quick, aimless,
bustling movements.

But Tom had his father's tone, as he gently arrested the trembling hand
that was pulling open a drawer, and with his father's sweet, convincing
smile, said, 'What's that for?' then drew up a large arm-chair, placed
her in it, and, taking pen and list, began to write--sometimes at her
suggestion, sometimes at his own--giving business-like and efficient
aid.

The work was so grave and regular, that Ella soon found the room
tedious, and crept out, calling Minna to aid in some of their own
personal matters.

Slowly enumerating the articles they came to the piano. Averil went up
to it, leant fondly against it, and softly touched the keys. 'My own,'
she said, 'bought for a surprise to me when I came home from school!
And oh, how he loved it!'

'Every one had reason to love it,' said Tom, in a low voice; but she
did not heed or