"And when she knowed for sure you was aboard that haddocker and it was in danger, she didn’t get down on her knees and pray for you by name—oh, no! I cal’late I dreamed that!" "Tobias!" "Oh, sugar!" observed the lightkeeper with scorn in his voice. "I cal’late you are purt’ near as blind as a bat, Ralph Endicott. Yessir! That gal loves ye so hard it hurts—jest like I said she would under proper encouragement." "Lorna?" murmured Ralph, his eyes suddenly suffused. The car swerved and Tobias grabbed the driver’s arm. "Hey! Do ye want to have us in the ditch? She won’t like ye no better with a broken neck. And me—I cal’late I want to live a leetle longer. In spite o’ Hephzibah Bassett I mean to have some good out o’ our recovered savings before I die." "If she does love me," Ralph went on, "we’ll get married right away and I can save her from all the privation she might suffer now that the Nicholets have lost their money." Tobias suddenly groaned. He turned in the seat to face his companion. "I give it as my opinion that I’m an awful sinner—the good Lord forgive me! I did it for the best. And Lorna never would have found out she loved you, nor you that you loved her, if ye each hadn’t thought t’other was in trouble." "What do you mean?" asked Ralph, puzzled. For a second time the old lightkeeper made his confession. Ralph showed at first nothing but wonder. "And she isn’t poor at all?" he finally asked. "Not so fur as I know." Ralph Endicott suddenly burst into laughter. "You old fox!" he shouted. "I believe you were right. I never did think so much about Lorna till I began to worry over her losing her fortune. You are a wonderful psychologist, Tobias Bassett." "Huh! Me? There, now, Ralph, you needn’t call me such names, even if I did tell a couple of whoppers to you and Lorny for the good of your souls. You ought to thank me." Before they arrived in sight of the light another car purred up behind them. The chauffeur of this was Jackson, the Nicholets’ man. "Cap’n Bassett!" he shouted, "is Miss Lorna still over at the light?" "I cal’late," replied Tobias. "Will you take a letter that I got at the post-office just now for her? I know she must be expecting it. Oh, Mr. Endicott! is it you?" He had run his car up beside the limousine. He drove on the right side, and so easily handed the missive to Ralph. "I know she’s looking for it," Jackson repeated. "Very well, I’ll give it to her," said Ralph. He looked a second time at the handwriting on the envelope. Then he put it into his pocket. He withdrew the letter from his pocket again when, an hour or so later, he and Lorna were walking across the sands toward the path to the summit of the Clay Head. Ralph offered the letter to her with a little hesitation. "Oh! For me?" Then she saw the postmark, "Charlestown, Mass.," and blushed.