"I'm glad of that," said Corey, and when she led
him indoors the vanquished Colonel met his visitor
in a double-breasted frock-coat, which he was still
buttoning up. He could not persuade himself at once
that Corey had not come upon some urgent business matter,
and when he was clear that he had come out of civility,
surprise mingled with his gratification that he
should be the object of solicitude to the young man.
In Lapham's circle of acquaintance they complained
when they were sick, but they made no womanish inquiries
after one another's health, and certainly paid no visits
of sympathy till matters were serious. He would have
enlarged upon the particulars of his indisposition if he
had been allowed to do so; and after tea, which Corey took
with them, he would have remained to entertain him if his
wife had not sent him to bed. She followed him to see
that he took some medicine she had prescribed for him,
but she went first to Penelope's room, where she found
the girl with a book in her hand, which she was not reading.
"You better go down," said the mother. "I've got to go
to your father, and Irene is all alone with Mr. Corey;
and I know she'll be on pins and needles without you're
there to help make it go off."
"She'd better try to get along without me, mother,"
said Penelope soberly.
Pages:
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226