the mother's side. I thought there was French blood in her."

"What is he like?"

"Oh, a comfortable bachelor, past middle age; business man; Southern;
just a little touch of the 'cyar' for 'car.' Said he was going to take
his niece to Newport next week. Has Miss Lamont said anything about
going there?"

"Well, she did mention it the other day."

The house was filling up, and, King thought, losing its family aspect. He
had taken quite a liking for the society of the pretty invalid girl, and
was fond of sitting by her, seeing the delicate color come back to her
cheeks, and listening to her shrewd little society comments. He thought
she took pleasure in having him push her wheel-chair up and down the
piazza at least she rewarded him by grateful looks, and complimented him
by asking his advice about reading and about being useful to others. Like
most young girls whose career of gayety is arrested as hers was, she felt
an inclination to coquet a little with the serious side of life. All this
had been pleasant to Mr. King, but now that so many more guests had come,
he found himself most of the time out of business. The girl's chariot
was always surrounded by admirers and sympathizers. All the young men
were anxious to wheel her up and down by the hour; there was always a
strife for this sweet office; and at night, when the vehicle had been
lifted up the first flight, it was beautiful to see the eagerness of
sacrifice exhibited by these young fellows to wheel her down the long
corridor to her chamber. After all, it is a kindly, unselfish world,
full of tenderness for women, and especially for invalid women who are
pretty. There was all day long a competition of dudes and elderly