ot another tooth," said Mollie. "I found it to-day. Dolly,"
glancing round, "how nice your room is!"

"Yes," answered Dolly, checking a sigh, "but don't sigh after the
fleshpots of Egypt, Mollie. One does n't see the dullest side of life at
Bloomsbury Place, at least."

"Is it dull here?" asked Mollie.

Dolly shrugged her expressive shoulders.

"Berlin-wool work is n't exciting," she said. "How did you leave
Griffith?"

"Low-spirited," replied Mollie. "I heard him tell Aimee this afternoon
that he could n't stand it much longer."

Dolly began to brush her hair, and brushed it very much over her face,
perhaps because she wished to take advantage of its shadow; for most
assuredly Mollie caught sight of something sparkling amongst the
abundant waves almost like a drop of dew.

"Dolly," she said at last, breaking the awkward little sympathetic
silence which naturally followed, "do you remember our reading the
'Vicar of Wakefield'?"

"Yes," said Dolly, in a mournful half-whisper; she could not trust
herself to say more.

"And about the family being 'up,' and then being 'down'? I always think
we are like they were. First it is 'the family up,' and then 'the family
down.' It is down just now."

"Yes," said Dolly.

"It will be 'up' again, in time," proceeded Mollie, sagaciously. "It
always is."

Dolly tried to laugh, but her laugh was a nervous little effort which
broke off in another sound altogether. Berlin-wool work and Brabazon
Lodge had tried her somewhat and--she wanted Griffith. It seemed to her
just then such a far distant unreal Paradise,--that dream of the modest
parlor with the door shut against the world, and the green sofa drawn
near the fire. Were they ever to attain it, or were they to grow old and
tired out waiting, and hoping against hope?

She managed to rally, however, in a few minutes. Feeling discouraged and
rebellious was not of much use,--that was one of Vagabondia's earliest
learned lessons. And what good was there in making Mollie miserable? So
she plucked up spirit and began to talk, and, to her credit be it said,
succeeded in being fairly amusing, and made Mollie laugh outright half a
dozen times during the remainder of her short stay. It was only a short
stay, however. She remembered Aimee's warning at last, and rose rather
in a hurry.

"I shall have to walk quickly if I want to get home in time for tea,"
she said, "so good-night, Dolly. You had better finish dressing."

"So I ha