at the very first, seven years ago."

"And she cares more for him, I'm sure," said Aimee.

Mollie's shoulder went up again. "She flirts with people enough, if she
does," she commented.

"Ah!" returned Aimee, "that is 'her way,' as you call it, again.
Somehow, it seems as if she can't help it. It is as natural to her as
the color of her hair and eyes. She can't help doing odd things and
making speeches that rouse people and tempt them into liking her. She
has done such things all her life, and sometimes I think she will do
them even when she is an old woman; though, of course, she will do them
in a different way. Dolly would n't be Dolly without her whimsicalness,
any more than Dick there, in his cage, would be a canary if he did n't
twitter and sing."

"Does she ever do such things to women?" asked Miss Mollie, shrewdly.
She seemed to be in a singular mood this afternoon.

"Yes," Aimee protested, "she does; and what is more, she is not
different even with children. I have seen her take just as much trouble
to please Phemie and the little Bilberrys as she would take to please
Griffith or--or Mr. Gowan. And see how fond they were of her. If she had
cared for nothing but masculine admiration, do you think Phemie would
have adored her as she did, and those dull children would have been so
desolate when she left them? No, I tell you. Dolly's weakness--and
it isn't such a very terrible weakness, after all--lies in wanting
_everybody_ to like her,--men, women, and children; yes, down to babies
and dogs and cats. And see here, Mollie, ain't we rather fond of her
ourselves?"

"Yes," owned Mollie, staring at the fire, "we are. Fond enough."

"And is n't she rather fond of us?"

"Yes, she is--for the matter of that," acquiesced Mollie.

"Yes," began 'Toinette, and then, the sound of footsteps upon the
staircase interrupting her, she broke off abruptly to listen. "It is
Phil's visitor," she said.

Mollie got up from her seat, roused into a lazy sort of interest.

"I am going to look at him," she said, and went to the window.

The next minute she drew back, blushing.

"He saw me," she said. "I did n't think he could, if I stood here in the
corner."

But he had; and more than that, in his admiration of her dimples and
round fire-flushed cheeks, had smiled into her face, openly and without
stint, as he passed.

After tea Gowan came in. Mollie opened the door for him; and Mollie, in
a soft blue dress, and with her h