d, went bravely at the preparations to be made.

"And will your father go with us to Venice?"

"Of course, mother. We cannot go without him."

"What if Venice shouldn't agree with me?"

"Oh, then we'll go on further. I think Naples would agree with you.
There is a very nice house at Sorrento--nice people--where Lady
Brierley spent a summer; and Mrs. Jersey has given me the address.
Perhaps we'll go there."

"But if Lady Brierley was there, I guess it's an expensive place."

"No, Mrs. Jersey says not. You must have what you want anyhow, mother
dear."

"I always used," said poor Mrs. Copley; "but of late I have been
obliged to sing another tune."

"Go back to the old tune, then, dear. If father hasn't got the money,
I'll find some way of raising it myself. I mean you shall go to
Sorrento. Mrs. Jersey says it's just charming there."

"I wonder what she knows about it! A housekeeper! Queer person to tell
you and me where to go."

"Why, a finger-post can do that, mother. Mrs. Jersey knows a great deal
besides, about a great many things."

"Well!" Mrs. Copley said again with another sigh--"it is new times to
me altogether. And I wish the old times would come back!"

"Perhaps they will, mother. When once we get hold of father again, we
must try to charm him into staying with us."

And it seemed to Dolly that they might do so much. The spirit of
seventeen is not easily kept down; and with the stir of actually
getting ready for the journey, she felt her hope and courage moving
also. A change at any rate was before her; and Dolly had a faint,
far-off thought of possibly working upon her father to induce him at
the close of their Italian journey to take ship for home.

So she bustled about from morning till night; packed what was to go and
what was to be left; grew very cheery over her work, and cheered and
amused her mother. September was on its way now; it was time to be off;
and Dolly wrote to her father to tell him she was ready.

A few days later, Dolly was in the porch resting and eating a fine
pear, which came out of a basket Mrs. Jersey had sent. It was
afternoon, sunny and hazy, the air fragrant from the woods, the silence
now and then emphasised by a shot somewhere in the distance. Dolly was
happy and hopeful; the weather was most lovely, the pear was excellent;
she was having a pleasant half hour of musing and anticipation.
Somebody came on foot along the road, swung open the small lattice
gate, and a