To her utter dismay, Dolly found it impossible to rouse the sick man to a sense of what was required from him, the moderate exertion of struggling to a standing position, and almost in despair she strove with all her strength to lift him from his seat. "Let me try, ma'am," said Cabby, and he took Mortomley in his arms, and the moment after was supporting him on the side-path; then the strange man and she managed between them to lead him up the short walk and the little flight of steps leading to the hall door. "Can we get him upstairs?" Dolly asked in despair, for one look at his face under the gaslight showed her his illness had returned, that he was as bad as he could well be. "We can try, ma'am," was the answer. "You must stay with him while I run up and light the gas," she remarked. The man looked at the unpromising staircase, and at Mrs. Mortomley, panting and out of breath, and shook his head. "I wouldn't try it if I was you," he said. They placed him in an arm-chair, and then with mattresses brought from upstairs, made a comfortable enough couch in the back drawing-room. When these preparations were completed, Dolly motioned the cabman to follow her into the hall. "Haven't you got anybody here with you, ma'am?" he asked, with a rough sympathy in his voice and manner. "I am all alone for the present," she answered. "Will you do something for me?" "Aye, that I will, if so be I can," was the ready answer. "First, how much do I owe you?" and when that pecuniary matter was settled to his entire satisfaction, Mrs. Mortomley said, "I want you to fetch a doctor. Find one and bring him here as soon as you can. We won't quarrel about your fare." "I am not afraid of that," he replied, muttering to himself as he climbed up to his box, "but I am afraid it is an undertaker rather than a doctor you will be wanting soon." He was not absent more than half an hour, but in that time Dolly had arranged matters somewhat to her mind. She discovered coals in the cellar, and a few pieces of wood in the kitchen-grate, and so managed to light a fire in the sick-room. She carried the chairs, upholstered in damask, and other items of drawing-room furniture into the front room, and substituted in their place articles from the upper rooms, which proved that Dolly had no intention of moving her husband to the first floor for some time to come. From the contents of a travelling-bag, which having been taken straight out to Mrs. Werner's carriage, had escaped Mr. Meadows' scrutiny, she set out the dressing-table with a few toilet necessaries, and thus it came to pass that when the doctor arrived he found the house inhabited not merely by human beings, but by that subtle essence of womanhood which may be felt but never described. Already the house was a home, and this man who entered so many houses which were not homes did involuntarily homage to her achievement.