"What puzzles me," Mrs. Copley went on, "is, how he could have lost money? But I am sure he has. I feel it in all my bones. And he is such a clever man about business too!"
Dolly tried with all her might to bring her mother off this theme. At last she succeeded; but the question lingered in her own mind and gave it a good deal to do.
After a day or two more, Mr. St. Leger came as threatened. Dolly received him alone. She was in the garden, gathering roses, at the time of his arrival. The young man came up to her, looking very glad and shy at once, while Dolly was neither the one nor the other. She was attending to the business she had in hand.
"Well, how are you?" said her visitor. "How is Mrs. Copley? Getting along, eh?"
"When's father coming down, Mr. St. Leger?"
"To-morrow. He'll come down early, he said."
"Sunday morning?" cried Dolly, and stopped, looking at the young man.
"Oh yes. He'll come down early. He couldn't get off to-night, he told me. Some business."
"What business? Anything he could not put off? What kept him, Mr. St. Leger?"
"I don't know, 'pon my honour. He'll be down in the morning, though. What's the matter? Mrs. Copley isn't worse, I hope?"