were too good for this world, and we wa'n't
fit for 'em to walk on."

"I'm not going to have 'em say we took an advantage of their being away
and tolled him on."

"I should like to HEAR 'em say it!" cried Lapham. "Or anybody!"

"Well," said his wife, relinquishing this point of anxiety, "I can't
make out whether he cares anything for her or not. And Pen can't tell
either; or else she won't."

"Oh, I guess he cares for her, fast enough," said the Colonel.

"I can't make out that he's said or done the first thing to show it."

"Well, I was better than a year getting my courage up."

"Oh, that was different," said Mrs. Lapham, in contemptuous dismissal
of the comparison, and yet with a certain fondness. "I guess, if he
cared for her, a fellow in his position wouldn't be long getting up his
courage to speak to Irene."

Lapham brought his fist down on the table between them.

"Look here, Persis! Once for all, now, don't you ever let me hear you
say anything like that again! I'm worth nigh on to a million, and I've
made it every cent myself; and my girls are the equals of anybody, I
don't care who it is. He ain't the fellow to take on any airs; but if
he ever tries it with me, I'll send him to the right about mighty
quick. I'll have a talk with him, if----"

"No, no; don't do that!" implored his wife. "I didn't mean anything.
I don't know as I meant ANYthing. He's just as unassuming as he can
be, and I think Irene's a match for anybody. You just let things go
on. It'll be all right. You never can tell how it is with young
people. Perhaps SHE'S offish. Now you ain't--you ain't going to say
anything?"

Lapham suffered himself to be persuaded, the more easily, no doubt,
because after his explosion he must have perceived that his pride
itself stood in the way of what his pride had threatened. He contented
himself with his wife's promise that she would never again present that
offensive view of the case, and she did not remain without a certain
support in his sturdy self-assertion.

XII.

MRS. COREY returned with her daughters in the early days of October,
having passed three or four weeks at Intervale after leaving Bar
Harbour. They were somewhat browner than they were when they left town
in June, but they were not otherwise changed. Lily, the elder of the
girls, had brought back a number of studies of kelp and toadstools,
with accessory rocks and rotten logs, which she would never finish up