f words into their ears.

"What, is it you? How glad I am to see you! Kiss me, my little Jeanne!
Poor puss, you've been very ill, have you not? But you're getting
better; the roses are coming back to your cheeks! And you, my dear,
how often I've thought of you! I wrote to you: did my letters reach
you? You must have spent a terrible time: but it's all over now! Will
you let me kiss you?"

Helene was now on her feet, and was forced to submit to a kiss on each
cheek and return them. This display of affection, however, chilled her
to the heart.

"You'll excuse us for having invaded your garden," she said.

"You're joking," retorted Juliette impetuously. "Are you not at home
here?"

But she ran off for a moment, hastened up the stairs, and called
across the open rooms: "Pierre, don't forget anything; there are
seventeen packages!"

Then, at once coming back, she commenced chattering about her holiday
adventures. "Oh! such a splendid season! We went to Trouville, you
know. The beach was always thronged with people. It was quite a crush.
and people of the highest spheres, you know. I had visitors too. Papa
came for a fortnight with Pauline. All the same, I'm glad to get home
again. But I haven't given you all my news. Oh! I'll tell you later
on!"

She stooped down and kissed Jeanne again; then suddenly becoming
serious, she asked:

"Am I browned by the sun?"

"No; I don't see any signs of it," replied Helene as she gazed at her.

Juliette's eyes were clear and expressionless, her hands were plump,
her pretty face was full of amiability; age did not tell on her; the
sea air itself was powerless to affect her expression of serene
indifference. So far as appearances went, she might have just returned
from a shopping expedition in Paris. However, she was bubbling over
with affection, and the more loving her outbursts, the more weary,
constrained, and ill became Helene. Jeanne meantime never stirred from
the rug, but merely raised her delicate, sickly face, while clasping
her hands with a chilly air in the sunshine.

"Wait, you haven't seen Lucien yet," exclaimed Juliette. "You must see
him; he has got so fat."

When the lad was brought on the scene, after the dust of the journey
had been washed from his face by a servant girl, she pushed and turned
him about to exhibit him. Fat and chubby-cheeked, his skin tanned by
playing on the beach in the salt breeze, Lucien displayed exuberant
health, but he had a somewhat