Here she caught Minnie in her arms, and kissed her in a very effusive manner.

“Oh, Minnie, my poor darling, what is all this about Vesuvius?  Is it true?  It is terrible.  And now I will never dare to leave you again.  How could I think that you would be in any danger with Lady Dalrymple and Ethel?  As to Ethel, I am astonished.  She is always so grave and so sad that she is the very last person I would have supposed capable of leading you into danger.”

“Now, Kitty dearest, that’s not true,” said Minnie; “she didn’t lead me at all.  I led her.  And how did I know there was any danger?  I remember now that dear, darling Ethel said there was, and I didn’t believe her.  But it’s always the way.”  And Minnie threw her little head on one side, and gave a resigned sigh.

“And did you really get into the crater?” asked Mrs. Willoughby, with a shudder.

“Oh, I suppose so.  They all said so,” said Minnie, folding her little hands in front of her.  “I only remember some smoke, and then jolting about dreadfully on the shoulder of some great—­big—­awful—­man.”

“Oh dear!” sighed Mrs. Willoughby.

“What’s the matter, Kitty dearest?”

“Another man!” groaned her sister.

“Well, and how could I help it?” said Minnie.  “I’m sure I didn’t want him.  I’m sure I think he might have let me alone.  I don’t see why they all act so.  I wish they wouldn’t be all the time coming and saving my life.  If people will go and save my life, I can’t help it.  I think it’s very, very horrid of them.”

“Oh dear! oh dear!” sighed her sister again.

“Now, Kitty, stop.”

“Another man!” sighed Mrs. Willoughby.

“Now, Kitty, if you are so unkind, I’ll cry.  You’re always teasing me.  You never do any thing to comfort me.  You know I want comfort, and I’m not strong, and people all come and save my life and worry me; and I really sometimes think I’d rather not live at all if my life has to be saved so often.  I’m sure I don’t know why they go and do it.  I’m sure I never heard of any person who is always going and getting her life saved, and bothered, and proposed to, and written to, and chased, and frightened to death.  And I’ve a great mind to go and get married, just to stop it all.  And I’d just as soon marry this last man as not, and make him drive all the others away from me.  He’s big enough.”

Minnie ended all this with a little sob; and her sister, as usual, did her best to soothe and quiet her.

“Well, but, darling, how did it all happen?”

“Oh, don’t, don’t.”

“But you might tell me”

“Oh, I can’t bear to think of it.  It’s too horrible.”

“Poor darling—­the crater?”

“No, the great, big man.  I didn’t see any crater.”

“Weren’t you in the crater?”