different occasions. By-the-by, I implore you never to tell
Dora those stories about me. I should lose all her respect. Do you
remember the girl from Birmingham?' He laughed wildly. 'Heaven be
praised that she threw me over! Eternal gratitude to all and sundry of
the girls who have plunged me into wretchedness!'

'I admit that you have run the gauntlet, and that you have had
marvellous escapes. But be good enough to leave me alone for the
present. I must finish this review by midday.'

'Only one word. I don't know how to thank Dora, how to express my
infinite sense of her goodness. Will you try to do so for me? You can
speak to her with calmness. Will you tell her what I have said to you?'

'Oh, certainly.--I should recommend a cooling draught of some kind. Look
in at a chemist's as you walk on.'

The heavens did not fall before the marriage-day, and the wedded pair
betook themselves for a few weeks to the Continent. They had been back
again and established in their house at Earl's Court for a month, when
one morning about twelve o'clock Jasper dropped in, as though casually.
Dora was writing; she had no thought of entirely abandoning literature,
and had in hand at present a very pretty tale which would probably
appear in The English Girl. Her boudoir, in which she sat, could
not well have been daintier and more appropriate to the charming
characteristics of its mistress.

Mrs Whelpdale affected no literary slovenliness; she was dressed in
light colours, and looked so lovely that even Jasper paused on the
threshold with a smile of admiration.

'Upon my word,' he exclaimed, 'I am proud of my sisters! What did you
think of Maud last night? Wasn't she superb?'

'She certainly did look very well. But I doubt if she's very happy.'

'That is her own look out; I told her plainly enough my opinion of
Dolomore. But she was in such a tremendous hurry.'

'You are detestable, Jasper! Is it inconceivable to you that a man or
woman should be disinterested when they marry?'

'By no means.'

'Maud didn't marry for money any more than I did.'

'You remember the Northern Farmer: "Doan't thou marry for money, but
go where money is." An admirable piece of advice. Well, Maud made a
mistake, let us say. Dolomore is a clown, and now she knows it. Why,
if she had waited, she might have married one of the leading men of the
day. She is fit to be a duchess, as far as appearance goes; but I was
never snobbish. I care very little abo