"Against Julie? Let them try it!" said the little lady, with evasive defiance. "We shall be too strong for them."
"Lady Henry is putting her back into it. I confess I never thought she would be either so venomous or so successful."
"Julie will come out all right."
"She would--triumphantly--if--"
The Duchess glanced at him uneasily.
"I believe you are overworking her. She looks skin and bone."
Dr. Meredith shook his head.
"On the contrary, I have been holding her back. But it seems she wants to earn a good deal of money."
"That's so absurd," cried the Duchess, "when there are people only pining to give her some of theirs."
"No, no," said the journalist, brusquely. "She is quite right there. Oh, it would be all right if she were herself. She would make short work of Lady Henry. But, Mademoiselle Julie"--for she glided past them, and he raised his voice--"sit down and rest yourself. Don't take so much trouble."