“Don’t dear, don’t cry so; it will make you sick, and won’t do any good, for things will come right, or I’ll make ’em, and we’ll be comfortable all round.”

“No, we never can be as we were, and it’s all my fault.  I’ve betrayed Fan’s confidence, I’ve spoiled your little romance, I’ve been a thoughtless, wicked girl, I’ve lost August; and, oh, dear me, I wish I was dead!” with which funereal climax Dolly cried so despairingly that, like the youngest Miss Pecksniff, she was indeed “a gushing creature.”

“Oh, come now, don’t be dismal, and blame yourself for every trouble under the sun.  Sit down and talk it over, and see what can be done.  Poor old girl, I forgave you the notes, and say I was wrong to meddle with Bopp.  I got you into the scrape, and I’ll get you out if the sky don’t fall, or Bopp blow his brains out, like a second Werther, before to-morrow.”

Dick drew the animated fountain to the wide chair, where they had sat together since they were born, wiped her eyes, laid her wet cheek against his own, and patted her back, with an idea that it was soothing to babies, and why not to girls?

“I wish mother was at home,” sighed Dolly, longing for that port which was always a haven of refuge in domestic squalls like this.

“Write, and tell her not to stay till Saturday.”

“No; it would spoil her visit, and you know she deferred it to help us through this dreadful masquerade.  But I don’t know what to do.”

“Why, bless your heart, it’s simple enough.  I’ll tell Bopp, beg his pardon, say ‘Dolly’s willing,’ and there you are all taut and ship-shape again.”

“I wouldn’t for the world, Dick.  It would be very hard for you, very awkward for me, and do no good in the end; for August is so proud he’d never forgive you for such a trick, would never believe that I ‘had a heart’ after all you’ve said and I’ve done; and I should only hear with my own ears that he thanked me for that No.  Oh, why can’t people know when they are in love, and not go heels over head before they are ready!”

“Well, if that don’t suit, I’ll let it alone, for that is all I can suggest; and if you like your woman’s way better, try it, only you’ll have to fly round, because to-morrow is the last night, you know.”

“I shan’t go, Dick.”

“Why not? we are going to give him the rose-wood set of things, have speeches, cheers for the King of Clubs, and no end of fun.”

“I can’t help it; there would be no fun for me, and I couldn’t look him in the face after all this.”

“Oh, pooh! yes, you could, or it will be the first time you dared not do damage with those wicked eyes of yours.”

“It is the first time I ever loved any one.”  Dolly’s voice was so low, and her head drooped so much, that this brief confession was apparently put away in Dick’s pocket, and being an exceedingly novel one, filled that inflammable youth with a desire to deposit a similar one in the other pocket, which, being emptied of its accustomed contents, left a somewhat aching void in itself and the heart underneath.  After a moment’s silence, he said,—­