"No, we'll close the cottage this summer. Papa doesn't want to go there without us, and--"
"But Dick will miss his yacht."
"Oh, the yacht has been wholly superseded in his affections by the auto."
"Well," said Marriott, "I'll not go north myself then. I had thought of going up and hanging around, but now--"
She looked to see if he were in earnest.
"Really, I'm not as excited over the prospect of going to Europe as I should be," said Elizabeth with a little regret in her tone. "I haven't been in Europe since I graduated, and I've been looking forward to going again--"
"Oh, you'll have a great time," Marriott interrupted.
She leaned back and Marriott eyed her narrowly; he saw that her look was weary.
"Well, you need a rest. It was such a long, hard winter."
Elizabeth did not reply. She looked away across the river and Marriott followed her gaze; the sky in the west was darkening, the afternoon had grown sultry.