malady seemed to be located in his
head rather than in the region of his heart.

Activity was an absolute necessity to Marian, so she announced that
instead of the usual dinner they would picnic on the shore at a spot
perhaps two miles distant from Sagamore Hall. Not that this required
physical exertion for her, but it was a novelty which would prove
diverting. As the sun sank low, the little party boarded the electric
launch.

"Excuse me for asking, Marian, but where does the picnic come in?" Edith
demanded, noting the total absence of baskets and bottles and the other
usual paraphernalia. "I don't want to criticise, but I'm no air-plant."

Marian laughed, "Have faith," she replied. "A relief train is even now
on its way to save you from starvation."

"Too bad for Huntington and Hamlen to miss all this," Cosden remarked,
hoping to call forth some word of explanation.

"If you vote it a success, we may repeat it after they return," she
answered evasively. "Perhaps then we can include Harry."

"That reminds me," Edith broke in, looking vindictively toward Cosden.
"Perhaps you will tell me why Harry rushed down here like a lost soul
and then back again to New York. Mr. Cosden is very mysterious about it,
and my curiosity is aroused."

"There isn't any mystery," Marian assured her. "There were some papers
he had forgotten to take."

"Why didn't he telephone me to bring them to him?" Philip demanded. "Why
is it he won't let me go to the office, when he promised me I could help
him as soon as college was over?"

Mrs. Thatcher looked at Cosden questioningly. "Is there anything more
than Harry told me?" she asked him.

Cosden knew that Thatcher was still trying to keep his family in
ignorance of the strain under which he was laboring. It was for him to
give such details as he chose rather than for his guest.

"I don't know how much you already know, Mrs. Thatcher," he replied with
apparent candor. "These are strenuous days in Wall Street, and no one
can tell what is going to happen next. As for you, Philip, don't be
impatient. This is no time to initiate a youngster into any business.
War is breaking loose in Europe, and if Germany and England lock horns
there will be something doing."

"War!" Philip cried. "Do you really think there will be a war?"

"The idea!" Edith sniffed. "Those little savage tribes in the Balkans
may call each other names and throw things around, but Germany and
England are civilized nat