est town offered to visitors, taking airings, a view of
a low brown object in the distance, said to be the convent in which the
Nuns lived, secluded from mortal eyes. At one side of the hotel, the
windows looked on a little wooden pier, sadly in want of repair. On the
other side, a walled inclosure accommodated yachts of light tonnage,
stripped of their rigging, and sitting solitary on a bank of mud
until their owners wanted them. In this neighborhood there was a small
outlying colony of shops: one that sold fruit and fish; one that
dealt in groceries and tobacco; one shut up, with a bill in the window
inviting a tenant; and one, behind the Methodist Chapel, answering the
double purpose of a post-office and a storehouse for ropes and coals.
Beyond these objects there was nothing (and this was the great charm of
the place) to distract the attention of invalids, following the doctor's
directions, and from morning to night taking care of their health.

The time was evening; the scene was one of the private sitting-rooms in
the hotel; and the purpose in view was a little tea-party.

Rich Mrs. Romsey, connected with commerce as wife of the chief partner
in the firm of Romsey & Renshaw, was staying at the hotel in the
interests of her three children. They were of delicate constitution;
their complete recovery, after severe illness which had passed from one
to the other, was less speedy than had been anticipated; and the doctor
had declared that the nervous system was, in each case, more or less in
need of repair. To arrive at this conclusion, and to recommend a visit
to Sandyseal, were events which followed each other (medically speaking)
as a matter of course.

The health of the children had greatly improved; the famous air had
agreed with them, and the discovery of new playfellows had agreed with
them. They had made acquaintance with Lady Myrie's well-bred boys, and
with Mrs. Norman's charming little Kitty. The most cordial good-feeling
had established itself among the mothers. Owing a return for
hospitalities received from Lady Myrie and Mrs. Norman, Mrs. Romsey had
invited the two ladies to drink tea with her in honor of an interesting
domestic event. Her husband, absent on the Continent for some time past,
on business connected with his firm, had returned to England, and had
that evening joined his wife and children at Sandyseal.

Lady Myrie had arrived, and Mr. Romsey had been presented to her. Mrs.
Norman, expec