o, opening out of
his rooms, or to Lucy's--they were at opposite ends of the long
corridor--where the two had their coffee while Max smoked.

The opinions freely expressed regarding their social and moral status,
and individual and combined relations, differed greatly in the several
localities in which they were wont to appear. In Warehold village they
were looked upon as two most charming and delightful people, rich,
handsome, and of proper age and lineage, who were exactly adapted to
each other and who would prove it before the year was out, with Pastor
Dellenbaugh officiating, assisted by some dignitary from Philadelphia.

At the hostelry many of the habitues had come to a far different
conclusion. Marriage was not in either of their heads, they maintained;
their intimacy was a purely platonic one, born of a friendship dating
back to childhood--they were cousins really--Max being the dearest and
most unselfish creature in the world, he having given up all his
pleasures elsewhere to devote himself to a most sweet and gracious lady
whose grief was still severe and who would really be quite alone in the
world were it not for her little daughter, now temporarily absent.

This summary of facts, none of which could be questioned, was
supplemented and enriched by another conclusive instalment from Mrs.
Walton Coates, of Chestnut Plains, who had met Lucy at Aix the year
before, and who therefore possessed certain rights not vouchsafed to
the other habitues of Beach Haven--an acquaintance which Lucy, for
various reasons, took pains to encourage--Mrs. C.'s social position
being beyond question, and her house and other appointments more than
valuable whenever Lucy should visit Philadelphia: besides, Mrs.
Coates's own and Lucy's apartments joined, and the connecting door of
the two sitting-rooms was often left open, a fact which established a
still closer intimacy. This instalment, given in a positive and rather
lofty way, made plain the fact that in her enforced exile the
distinguished lady not only deserved the thanks of every habitue of the
hotel, but of the whole country around, for selecting the new
establishment in which to pass the summer, instead of one of the more
fashionable resorts elsewhere.

This outburst of the society leader, uttered in the hearing of a
crowded piazza, had occurred after a conversation she had had with Lucy
concerning little Ellen.

"Tell me about your little daughter," Mrs. Coates had said.