dislike. "No,"
she breathed vaguely. "My son spoke of the fine effect of the lights
about the hotel from your cottage at Nantasket," she said to Mrs.
Lapham.

"Yes, they're splendid!" exclaimed that lady. "I guess the girls went
down every night with him to see them from the rocks."

"Yes," said Mrs. Corey, a little dryly; and she permitted herself to
add: "He spoke of those rocks. I suppose both you young ladies spend a
great deal of your time on them when you're there. At Nahant my
children were constantly on them."

"Irene likes the rocks," said Penelope. "I don't care much about
them,--especially at night."

"Oh, indeed! I suppose you find it quite as well looking at the lights
comfortably from the veranda."

"No; you can't see them from the house."

"Oh," said Mrs. Corey. After a perceptible pause, she turned to Mrs.
Lapham. "I don't know what my son would have done for a breath of sea
air this summer, if you had not allowed him to come to Nantasket. He
wasn't willing to leave his business long enough to go anywhere else."

"Yes, he's a born business man," responded Mrs. Lapham
enthusiastically. "If it's born in you, it's bound to come out.
That's what the Colonel is always saying about Mr. Corey. He says it's
born in him to be a business man, and he can't help it." She recurred
to Corey gladly because she felt that she had not said enough of him
when his mother first spoke of his connection with the business. "I
don't believe," she went on excitedly, "that Colonel Lapham has ever
had anybody with him that he thought more of."

"You have all been very kind to my son," said Mrs. Corey in
acknowledgment, and stiffly bowing a little, "and we feel greatly
indebted to you. Very much so." At these grateful expressions Mrs.
Lapham reddened once more, and murmured that it had been very pleasant
to them, she was sure. She glanced at her daughter for support, but
Penelope was looking at Mrs. Corey, who doubtless saw her from the
corner of her eyes, though she went on speaking to her mother.

"I was sorry to hear from him that Mr.--Colonel?--Lapham had not been
quite well this summer. I hope he's better now?"

"Oh yes, indeed," replied Mrs. Lapham; "he's all right now. He's
hardly ever been sick, and he don't know how to take care of himself.
That's all. We don't any of us; we're all so well."

"Health is a great blessing," sighed Mrs. Corey.

"Yes, so it is. How is your oldest daughter?" inqu