"
The question that she did not put into words she put into the searching,
quizzical stare she gave Lana.
"Ah!" remarked Miss Corson, revealing nothing either by tone or
countenance.
"It looks to me as if you've been receiving other lessons from your
father, outside of the hand-shaking art. You are about as non-committal as
the best of our politicians, Lana dear!"
For reply the Senator's daughter smiled. The smile was so ingenuous that
it ought to have disarmed the young matron of her petulance.
But Mrs. Stanton went on with the sharp insistence of one who had
discovered an opportunity and proposed to make the most of it. "Seeing
that the matter has come up in this way--quite by chance--" Mrs. Stanton
did not even blink when she said it--"though I never would have presumed
to speak of it to you, Lana, without good and sufficient provocation--I
think that you and Coventry should have confided in me, first of all. Of
course, I know well enough how matters stand! I really believe I do! But I
think I'm entitled to know, officially, to put it that way, as much as
your highly esteemed old friends here in Marion know."
"Yes," agreed Miss Corson.
"But _first_, Lana dear! To know it first--as a sister should! I'm not
blaming you! I realize that you met some of those aforesaid old, true
friends while you were out around the city to-day.
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