"Why, yes; there is the Hunt cottage. Mrs. Hunt told me yesterday
that they are all going on a trip through the Canadas; but she was
in a quandary about her help. She does not like to let them go,
neither does she feel quite like leaving them to run the house by
themselves. Perhaps she would be glad to rent it," Mrs. Minturn
returned.
'That would be delightful, for then we could have Mrs. Seabrook
for a neighbor, and--oh! mamma--if we only could do something for
that dear child," said Katherine, yearningly.
"We could not interfere there, dear," her mother gravely replied.
"We could do nothing, with Prof. Seabrook so opposed to the
treatment of Christian Science. But I will go and talk with Mrs.
Hunt and see what can be done for your friends."
The result of her call was a cordial assent on the part of the
Hunts to rent the cottage, if the Seabrooks, after learning the
terms, desired to have it.
Katherine wrote by return mail, stating the case to Mrs. Seabrook,
and the second day afterward, while she and Sadie were busy with
some fancy work on the veranda, Dr. Stanley suddenly appeared,
mounting the steps.
Katherine sprang forward to greet him, her face glowing with
pleasure.
"This is a delightful surprise, Dr. Stanley," she said, giving him
a cordial hand. "Come and have a chair. If you have walked from
the station you will be glad to get out of the sun, and I am sure
you need no introduction to Miss Minot."
The physician saluted Sadie with his customary courtesy, then
seated himself in the comfortable rocker tendered him, and gazed,
with an appreciative eye, off upon the blue expanse before him, at
the same time taking in deep breaths of the cool, delicious salt
air.
"This is glorious!" he exclaimed. "Young ladies, I do not wonder
at the roses in your cheeks, in view of these invigorating breezes
wafted straight from the domain of old Neptune."
Sadie, however, did marvel as she observed the unusual color in
the face of her friend. "The invigorating breezes of 'Old
'Neptune' didn't have anything to do with that," she said to
herself.
"We have found it very warm and close up in the mountains," the
gentleman resumed, "and I now regret that I did not send my sister
to the sea at the beginning of the summer."
Katherine inquired for Mrs. Seabrook, who had scarcely referred to
herself in her letter, and expressed her regret that Dorrie had
seemed to lose ground.
"Yes, she has been very poorly, and her mother is simply worn out
with anxiety and watching," said Phillip Stanley, with a clouded
brow. "You perceive I lost no time, after the receipt of your
letter, in coming to conclude the arrangements with Mrs. Hunt."
"You will find her cottage very comfortable and homelike, although
it is not very large," Katherine informed him. "We think it is
just the place for you, because of the well-trained help, which
will greatly relieve dear Mrs. Seabrook. That is the house--the
second one above us on the opposite side of the street."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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