re."

"I'm sorry you're so down in the mouth. Why don't you try again? The
thing is to stick to 'em like wax. If ten times of asking won't do,
go in twenty times."

Dolly shook his head despondently. "What can you do when a girl walks
out of the room and slams the door in your face? She'll get it hot
and heavy before she has done. I know what she's after. She might as
well cry for the moon." And so Dolly got into the trap and went to
Bridport, and slept that night at the hotel at Dorchester.

Lord Popplecourt, though he could give such excellent advice to his
friend, had been able as yet to do very little in his own case. He
had been a week at Custins, and had said not a word to denote his
passion. Day after day he had prepared himself for the encounter, but
the lady had never given him the opportunity. When he sat next to her
at dinner she would be very silent. If he stayed at home on a morning
she was not visible. During the short evenings he could never get her
attention. And he made no progress with the Duke. The Duke had been
very courteous to him at Richmond, but here he was monosyllabic and
almost sullen.

Once or twice Lord Popplecourt had a little conversation with Lady
Cantrip. "Dear girl!" said her ladyship. "She is so little given to
seeking admiration."

"I dare say."

"Girls are so different, Lord Popplecourt. With some of them it seems
that a gentleman need have no trouble in explaining what it is that
he wishes."

"I don't think Lady Mary is like that at all."

"Not in the least. Any one who addresses her must be prepared to
explain himself fully. Nor ought he to hope to get much encouragement
at first. I do not think that Lady Mary will bestow her heart till
she is sure she can give it with safety." There was an amount
of falsehood in this which was proof at any rate of very strong
friendship on the part of Lady Cantrip.

After a few days Lady Mary became more intimate with the American and
his daughter than with any others of the party. Perhaps she liked
to talk about the Scandinavian poets, of whom Mr. Boncassen was so
fond. Perhaps she felt sure that her transatlantic friend would not
make love to her. Perhaps it was that she yielded to the various
allurements of Miss Boncassen. Miss Boncassen saw the Duke of Omnium
for the first time at Custins, and there had the first opportunity of
asking herself how such a man as that would receive from his son and
heir such an announcement as Lord S