"A frightful crowd, is it not?" she observed. "Yes, and getting worse every moment," declared Sir Horace, taking the remark entirely to himself; "allow me to pilot you out of it," and to the amusement and admiration of his companion, he proceeded to manœuvre madame and her niece far away from their own party. Giving the former his arm up the steps, he said: "Malcolm, I will leave you to look after Miss Chandos." "Who is very well able to take care of herself, thank you," she answered. Then, turning to Malcolm as they strolled along in the wake of their elders, she continued: "Have you come to do the cure?" "Well, no, I'm merely an outsider--a spectator," he confessed, "but I suppose I must drink something to give me the run of the place. Something to talk about, and to establish a common interest with other people." "Very well, then," she rejoined with equal gravity, "between seven and eight o'clock, you take three glasses of the Elisabeth Brunnen--with a promenade of fifteen minutes between each. This, with a salt bath at eleven, and a couple of tumblers of the Staal Brunnen at three o'clock, will instantly place you on a proper footing in society. Now"--and she came to a standstill--"where _is_ that dog?" "Are you his keeper?" he asked in a bantering tone. "Not exactly; I left him in charge of Prince Allessandro when we went down to the well." "Proud animal!" ejaculated Captain Haig, "it is not every terrier who has a Prince for dog boy!" "Dog _boy_," she echoed, "what do you mean?" "It is an Indian term. All Europe dogs there keep their servant body to look after them, and accompany them out walking." "Oh, I see, and the Prince is doing dog boy for _me_. Well, he is quite devoted to Dog Darling. You were going to say something?" and she looked at her companion interrogatively. "I was," he admitted, with a laugh, "but second thoughts are best." "But I should like to hear your first thought. I insist on your telling me; it is sure to be far more entertaining than its successor." "Oh, well, I was merely going to quote an old saw!" "Yes?" "Love me, love my dog!" "A decrepit saying, and entirely out of fashion. Love me, and loathe my dog, is far more up to date, especially since these lap dogs are the rage. Then why not hate me, and love my dog! There are one or two people--whose _dogs_ I adore. Oh, dear me! just look at auntie! who cannot be trusted out of my sight. She is eating peaches. That is Sir Horace's doing! He has offered them to her, and she cannot resist, although she is strictly forbidden to touch raw fruit!" "Would you imply that my respectable uncle is playing the part of the serpent?"