Several other ladies had come in by this time, the invalid gentleman's wife among the rest. "Mrs. Moses," Vi heard some one call her. "How do you do, Miss?" she said, drawing forward an arm chair and seating herself directly in front of Violet. "You're a new-comer, ain't you?" "I came this afternoon," Vi answered, and turned to Mrs. Perkins with a remark about the changing beauty of the sea and clouds; for they were near an open window that gave them a view of old ocean. "Where are you from?" asked Mrs. Moses. "The South, Madame." "Ah! I should hardly have suspected it: you've such a lovely complexion, and how beautiful your hair is! like spun gold." The German servant-man appeared in the doorway. "Mrs. Moshes, Herr wants to see you." "Yes, I hear." Turning to Vi again, "Well, you must have had a long, tiresome journey; and I suppose you didn't come all alone?" Vi let the inquiry pass unnoticed, but the woman went on, "I've never been South, but I'd like to go; perhaps I shall next winter. It might help William's rheumatism." "Your husband wants you, Mrs. Moses," remarked Mary Keith. "Oh yes; he's always wanting me. I'll go presently." "Cousin," said Mary, "shall we take a stroll on the beach?" Violet caught at the suggestion with alacrity, and they went at once, the rest of their party, and Mrs. Perkins and hers, accompanying them. "That poor man!" sighed Mary. "I thought if we all left her, perhaps she would go to him." "Isn't it strange?" said Susie, "he seems to love her dearly, and she to care nothing about him. And he is so nice and good and patient, and she so disagreeable." "A very poor sort of wife, I think," pursued Mary. "She will not even sleep on the same floor with him, for fear of being disturbed when pain keeps him awake. Day and night he is left to the care of that awkward, blundering German. But there! I ought to be ashamed of myself for talking about an absent neighbor." "I don't think you are doing any harm, Cousin Mary," said Charlie, "for we can all see how utterly selfish the woman is." "What! are you two cousins?" asked Edward in surprise. "First cousins, sir," returned Charlie, laughing, "sisters' children. Can't you and I claim kin, seeing she's cousin to both of us?" A sudden dash of rain prevented Edward's reply, and sent them all scurrying into the house. CHAPTER XX. "A little more than kin and a little less than kind." --_Shakespeare._ Our little party had scarcely seated themselves in the parlor, where a number of the guests of the house were already gathered, when the invalid gentleman was assisted in by his servant and took possession of an easy chair which Mrs. Perkins hastened to offer him. He thanked her courteously as he sank back in it with a slight sigh as of one in pain.