----"

"It's always a mystery what people see in each other," observed Mrs.
Corey severely.

"Yes," Nanny admitted, "but I don't know that there is much comfort for
us in the application." "No, there isn't," said her mother.

"The most that we can do is to hope for the best till we know the
worst. Of course we shall make the best of the worst when it comes."

"Yes, and perhaps it would not be so very bad. I was saying to your
father when I was here in July that those things can always be managed.
You must face them as if they were nothing out of the way, and try not
to give any cause for bitterness among ourselves."

"That's true. But I don't believe in too much resignation beforehand.
It amounts to concession," said Nanny.

"Of course we should oppose it in all proper ways," returned her mother.

Lily had ceased to discuss the matter. In virtue of her artistic
temperament, she was expected not to be very practical. It was her
mother and her sister who managed, submitting to the advice and consent
of Corey what they intended to do.

"Your father wrote me that he had called on Colonel Lapham at his place
of business," said Mrs. Corey, seizing her first chance of approaching
the subject with her son.

"Yes," said Corey. "A dinner was father's idea, but he came down to a
call, at my suggestion."

"Oh," said Mrs. Corey, in a tone of relief, as if the statement threw a
new light on the fact that Corey had suggested the visit. "He said so
little about it in his letter that I didn't know just how it came
about."

"I thought it was right they should meet," explained the son, "and so
did father. I was glad that I suggested it, afterward; it was
extremely gratifying to Colonel Lapham."

"Oh, it was quite right in every way. I suppose you have seen
something of the family during the summer."

"Yes, a good deal. I've been down at Nantasket rather often."

Mrs. Corey let her eyes droop. Then she asked: "Are they well?"

"Yes, except Lapham himself, now and then. I went down once or twice
to see him. He hasn't given himself any vacation this summer; he has
such a passion for his business that I fancy he finds it hard being
away from it at any time, and he's made his new house an excuse for
staying."

"Oh yes, his house! Is it to be something fine?"

"Yes; it's a beautiful house. Seymour is doing it."

"Then, of course, it will be very handsome. I suppose the young ladies
are very much taken up wi