“Yes, so Miss Elliott told me yesterday,” replied Arthur.  “She was slightly indisposed, and sent for me, and, while telling of her ailments, remarked that she was very lonely since her sister Margaret had married and gone, leaving her sole occupant—­not taking servants into account—­of that large house, with its extensive grounds.  So she had at last decided, she said, to comply with her sister’s urgent request to sell the place, and take up her abode with them.

“She had thought of advertising, and asked my advice about it.  Of course, I thought at once of you and Vi, captain, told her I knew of a gentleman who might like to become a purchaser, and that I would promise her a call from him to-day to look at the place.  Will you redeem my promise?”

“Gladly,” responded the captain, “especially as Vi expresses so strong a liking for the place.  Will you go with me, my dear?”

“I hardly like to leave my baby yet,” she answered dubiously.  “But if you should feel entirely satisfied with the house, the grounds, and the price asked for them, you could not please me better than by making the purchase.”

“There! if Miss Elliott only knew it, she might consider the estate as good as sold,” remarked Zoe.

“If she is willing to take a reasonable price, I presume she might,” said Arthur.  “Captain, I will go there directly from here:  will you drive over with me, and take a look at the place?”

“Yes, thank you; and have a talk with the lady, if you will give me an introduction.”

Max and Lulu, sitting side by side at the table, exchanged glances,—­Lulu’s full of delight, Max’s only interested.  He shook his head in response to her’s.

“What do you mean? wouldn’t you like it?” she asked in an undertone.

“Yes, indeed! but I’m pretty sure papa couldn’t afford such a place as that:  it must be worth a good many thousands.”

Lulu’s look lost much of its brightness; still, she did not quite give up hope, as the conversation went on among their elders, Woodburn and the Elliotts continuing to be the theme.

“Will it be near enough to Ion?” Capt.  Raymond asked, addressing Violet more particularly.  “What is the distance?”

“Something over a mile, they call it,” said Mr. Dinsmore.

“That is as near as we can expect to be, I suppose,” said Violet.

“And with carriages and horses, bicycles, tricycles, and telephones, we may feel ourselves very near neighbors indeed,” remarked Edward.  “When the weather is too inclement for mamma or Vi to venture out, they can talk together by the hour through the telephone, if they wish.”

“And it won’t often be too inclement to go back and forth,” said Zoe; “almost always good enough for a close carriage, if for nothing else.”

“We are talking as if the place were already secured,” remarked Violet, with a smiling glance at her husband.

“I think you may feel pretty sure of it if you want it, love; unless Miss Elliott should change her mind about selling,” he responded, in a tone too low to reach any ear but hers.