Fran's attention was held for an instant, but after all it seemed
only reasonable that draperies should be purchased at a draper's.

"Isn't the beach lovely?" she confided. "It would be fun to walk
back."

"We might," said Edith. "Would Win care if we did? Or could he do
it too?"

"He couldn't walk so far," said Fran, "but he won't mind if we
want to. Win is angelic about not stopping us from doing things he
can't do himself."

"Has he always had to be so careful?" asked Edith. She and Frances
sat at a little distance from the boys. Roger was peering around
into the cab of the tiny engine; Win watched the water as it broke
on the beach.

"Always," said Frances. "He was just a tiny baby when they knew
something was wrong with his heart. It isn't painful and may never
be any worse. Only he must take great care not to get over-tired.
Ever so many doctors have seen him and they all say the same
thing,--that if he is prudent and never does too much, he may
outlive us all. Just now in London, he and Mother went to a
specialist but all he told Win was that he must cultivate the art
of being lazy. Mother says the worst was when he was too little to
realize that he mustn't do things. Now, of course, he understands
and takes care of himself. It's hard on Win but Mother says it's
good for Roger and me. It does make Roger more thoughtful. He says
anything he likes to Win and pretends to tease him, but if you