"He bowed and went away without speaking another word, and of course I thought the subject was ended. "Quite by accident I went an hour ago to Lenore's room, and there to my astonishment I found piled up on the drawers and tables all the knick-knacks out of the drawing-room; the timepieces, the vases, the statuettes, the little genuine silver we have not parted with, and a whole tribe of other articles. "Then I rang for Esther and asked what it meant. Turner, it appeared, after leaving me, told her I understood nothing whatever of our real position, and that the greatest service she could do me was to send as much as possible to some safe place of keeping without mentioning the matter to me. "And acting on this, she had intended to get up about four o'clock and pack up all she could, and take the spoil with her to Great Dassell. "I was so angry I said sharp things to the girl I ought not to have said. I believe I frightened her to death, and I know I have made myself quite ill and hysterical with the passion I got into." "Esther is happy enough now. She did it all for the best, and I have told her how sorry I am to have spoken sharply; but, Rupert, Rupert, what is the meaning of all this? There is something in liquidation we do not understand." "I do not think there is," was the reply. "This man only spoke according to his light, which seems to be a very poor one. He simply advised that course to be taken which would be taken by ninety-nine people out of a hundred." "Then if such is the case, I cannot wonder at Mr. Forde's idea that debtors are thieves." "And at the same time there may be some reason for the debtors' belief that creditors are robbers." "Oh!" cried Dolly, "that it were all ended." "It will be some day, please God," he answered. "And now, Dolly, do get to bed; your white face will disturb my dreams. When had you anything to eat?" "I don't think I have eaten anything since Thursday," she answered; "anything, I mean, worth calling a meal." "You will kill yourself if you go on as you are doing," he said, but she shook her head. "I am going to live to a hundred and forty, like the Countess of Desmond, who died in consequence of a fall from a cherry-tree," Dolly explained. "I shall be a great-great-great-grandmother, and I shall inculcate upon the first, second, third, and fourth generations the truth of that old proverb, 'Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.'" "Never mind pence or pounds either, Dolly. I wish you would take care of yourself." "Why?" she asked; then went on, "I wonder if on the face of the earth besides Archie and Lenore, and Esther and Mrs. Werner, and perhaps my Aunt Celia, there is a creature who would be really sorry if I died to-night?" "Do you exclude me?" Rupert marvelled.