"How can you and I do that, Dolly?"
"That is just what I am studying, Christina. I do not quite know. But when I look out on all this wonderful beauty, and see what it means, and think how miserable the world is,—just the very opposite,—I feel that I must do it, somehow or other."
Christina lifted her arms above her head and clapped her hands together. "Mad, mad!" she exclaimed—"you are just gone mad, Dolly. Oh, I wish you'd get married, and forget all your whimsies. The right sort of man would make you forget them. Haven't you found the right sort of man yet?"
"The right sort of man would help me carry them out."
"It must be my Sandie, then; there isn't another match for you in extravagant ideas in all this world. What does Mr. St. Leger think of them?"
"I never asked him. I suppose he would take very much your view."
"And you don't care what view he takes?" said Christina, looking sharply at her.
"Not in the least. Except for his own sake."
The one drawback upon the perfect felicity of this visit was, that the said Sandie did not appear. They could not wait for him; they went on the most charming of excursions, by sea and land, wishing for him; in which wish Dolly heartily shared. It had been one of the pleasures she had promised herself in coming to the Thayers' that she should see Mr. Shubrick again. He had interested her singularly, and even taken not a little hold of her fancy. So she was honestly disappointed when at last a note came from him, saying that he found it impossible to join the party.
"That means just that he has something on hand that he calls 'duty'—which anybody else would put off or hand over," said Christina, pouting.