"She attributes it to the musk, but it was not really that, though I do think, remember, many perfumes are disagreeable to her. For instance, I have often known her order hyacinths, lily of the valley, lilac and syringa to be taken out of a room where she wished to sit, and I remember once when we were going to London together by train, her getting into another compartment at Stratford, merely because a fat old lady who was our fellow-traveller had thought fit to deluge her handkerchief with patchouli. But it was not the musk which made her faint. She takes too much out of herself. She is never still, she visits and talks enough for a dozen people. She was at a wedding yesterday morning, at a kettledrum in the afternoon, and then she came home and we all dined with the Morrisons. No constitution could endure such treatment," finished Miss Halling. "The constitutions of fashionable ladies endure more than that," replied Miss Dean, who might perhaps have liked Antonia better than was the case had that young person not assumed the shape of a future sister-in-law. "Yes," agreed the other, "but then they do nothing else, and Dolly--excuse me for calling her by that ridiculous name, but we have got into the habit of it--is never at rest from morning till night, she rises early and she goes to bed late, and she is here there and everywhere at all hours of the day." This was true at any rate. It was precisely what a solemn old doctor told her when by Mr. Mortomley's request she sent next day for "some one to give her something." He said she had better go out of town to some quiet place, and accordingly Dolly accompanied by Lenore and her maid left Homewood before the week was over. It was when Mortomley was saying his last words of farewell that the first drop of rain indicating foul weather to come, fell on her upturned face. "Dolly dear, you won't spend more money than you can help," said her husband in the tone of a man who would just have liked about as well to cut his throat as utter the words. Dolly opened her eyes. It had been a childish habit of hers, and time failed to cure her of it. "Do I spend too much?" she asked. "Not half enough, if we had it to spend," was the answer; then he added hurriedly, "you are not vexed, you do not mind my speaking." At that moment, 'Take your seats. Now, sir, if you please,' was shouted out, and Dolly could only reply from her corner in the carriage, "I will tell you when you come down," but there was not a shade on her face. Her look was bright as ever, while she put her hand in his. A whole chapter of assurances could not have lightened her husband's heart one half so effectually.