ervant,
you should not wish to deny me. There lives but one person whom I would
serve. There, John, I will give you another, and you shall let me do as I
will."

Dorothy, still holding the fagot in her hands, pressed it against John's
breast and gently pushed him backward toward a large armchair, in which
she had been sitting by the west side of the fireplace.

"You sit there, John, and we will make believe that this is our house, and
that you have just come in very cold from a ride, and that I am making a
fine fire to warm you. Isn't it pleasant, John? There, you sit and warm
yourself--my--my--husband," she said laughingly. "It is fine sport even to
play at. There is one fagot on the fire," she said, as she threw the wood
upon the embers, causing them to fly in all directions. John started up to
brush the scattered embers back into the fireplace, but Dorothy stopped
him.

"I will put them all back," she said. "You know you are cold and very
tired. You have been overseeing the tenantry and have been hunting. Will
you have a howl of punch, my--my husband?" and she laughed again and
kissed him as she passed to the holder for another fagot.

"I much prefer that to punch," said John, laughing softly. "Have you
more?"

"Thousands of them, John, thousands of them." She rippled forth a little
laugh and continued: "I occupy my time nowadays in making them that I may
always have a great supply when we are--that is, you know, when you--when
the time comes that you may require a great many to keep you in good
humor." Again came the laugh, merry and clear as the tinkle of sterling
silver.

She laughed again within a minute or two; but when the second laugh came,
it sounded like a knell.

Dorothy delighted to be dressed in the latest fashion. Upon this occasion
she wore a skirt vast in width, of a pattern then much in vogue. The
sleeves also were preposterously large, in accordance with the custom of
the times. About her neck a beautiful white linen ruff stood out at least
the eighth part of an ell. The day had been damp and cold, and the room in
which she had been sitting was chilly. For that reason, most fortunately,
she had thrown over her shoulders a wide sable cloak broad enough to
enfold her many times and long enough to reach nearly to her knees:
Dorothy thus arrayed was standing in front of John's chair. She had just
spoken the words "good humor," when the door leading to her father's room
opened and in walked Sir G