r her. The little animal had grown devotedly
attached to her, and as it grew older it became her constant attendant
in all her rambles. Marguerite could not fail to notice the long
absences of her friend, and often went in search of her, and brought her
back to join Claude and herself in whatever they might be doing; but
Marie was always gay and cheerful with her, and no suspicion of the
melancholy that was gradually creeping over her was awakened in
Marguerite's heart.

It was upon old Bastienne that the change in the climate began to tell
most plainly. The faithful old woman had borne uncomplainingly the
hardships which her young mistresses could endure without a murmur; but
her old bones had suffered from the exposure to the night dews and damp
sea air; with the chill winds of the Autumn she was attacked with
rheumatism, and lost the activity and energy which had been of such good
service to them all. She suffered much; her moans often kept the two
girls awake at night; and even Claude, who had built himself a tiny
lean-to on the sheltered side of the "castle," could hear her
complainings.

With the first frost of October the leaves took on their short-lived
autumn gorgeousness, only to wither and fall, leaving the little island
destitute of even its scanty appearance of vegetation. Winter, with its
desolating breath, was settling down upon them; and when the first early
snows came floating through the air, they realised that long dreary
months of suffering lay before them.

But one of them, at least, was to be spared the terrible ordeal.

On a calm, mild day, when the soft, blue haze of October filled the air
with its deceptive beauty, Marie had gone to one of her favourite haunts
along the cliffs--a lofty point of rock, which they had laughingly
christened her "look-out." As she sat there, gazing down at the misty,
sleeping sea below, her eye caught the gleam of a cluster of
late-blooming wild flowers, the last of the season, on a point of the
rock beneath her. A fancy seized her to get it for Marguerite. She
reached over, and had it almost in her hand, when a slight movement
behind her caused her to start a little, lose her balance, and fall
headlong over the beetling cliff. She fell upon the stones below, and
lay motionless, while the little fox, whose rustling approach among the
dry leaves had caused her hurried movement, stood on the edge above,
peering down with astonished curiosity at the silent figure of