ut that!" cried the son.

"Oh, rude, native flavours, I dare say. But that isn't what I mean.
Well, then, they must spend. There is no other way for them to win
their way to general regard. We must have the Colonel elected to the
Ten O'clock Club, and he must put himself down in the list of those
willing to entertain. Any one can manage a large supper. Yes, I see a
gleam of hope for him in that direction."

In the morning Bromfield Corey asked his son whether he should find
Lapham at his place as early as eleven.

"I think you might find him even earlier. I've never been there before
him. I doubt if the porter is there much sooner."

"Well, suppose I go with you, then?"

"Why, if you like, sir," said the son, with some deprecation.

"Oh, the question is, will HE like?"

"I think he will, sir;" and the father could see that his son was very
much pleased.

Lapham was rending an impatient course through the morning's news when
they appeared at the door of his inner room. He looked up from the
newspaper spread on the desk before him, and then he stood up, making
an indifferent feint of not knowing that he knew Bromfield Corey by
sight.

"Good morning, Colonel Lapham," said the son, and Lapham waited for him
to say further, "I wish to introduce my father." Then he answered,
"Good morning," and added rather sternly for the elder Corey, "How do
you do, sir? Will you take a chair?" and he pushed him one.

They shook hands and sat down, and Lapham said to his subordinate,
"Have a seat;" but young Corey remained standing, watching them in
their observance of each other with an amusement which was a little
uneasy. Lapham made his visitor speak first by waiting for him to do
so.

"I'm glad to make your acquaintance, Colonel Lapham, and I ought to
have come sooner to do so. My father in your place would have expected
it of a man in my place at once, I believe. But I can't feel myself
altogether a stranger as it is. I hope Mrs. Lapham is well? And your
daughter?"

"Thank you," said Lapham, "they're quite well."

"They were very kind to my wife----"

"Oh, that was nothing!" cried Lapham. "There's nothing Mrs. Lapham
likes better than a chance of that sort. Mrs. Corey and the young
ladies well?"

"Very well, when I heard from them. They're out of town."

"Yes, so I understood," said Lapham, with a nod toward the son. "I
believe Mr. Corey, here, told Mrs. Lapham." He leaned back in his
chair, stiffl