houlders after dewfall and
refused to believe that she never caught cold. Only last night he had
left early saying that she must get her beauty sleep so as to be fresh
for the reception.

"One would think," she had said, sauntering with him to the gate, "that
the guests might decide to eat me instead of the ices. Why do you all
expect me to quake and shiver? They can't really do anything to me, I
suppose?"

"Do?" The doctor was absent-minded. "Do? Oh, they can do things all
right. But," with quite unnecessary emphasis, "their worst efforts
won't be a patch on the things you will do to them. Why, you'll add ten
years to the age of everyone over twenty and make the others feel like
babes in arms. You'll raise all their vibrations to boiling point and
remain yourself as cool and pulseless as--as you are now."

Desire was surprised, but she was reasonable.

"If you can tell me why my vibrations should raise themselves," she
said, "I will see what can be done."

The doctor had gone home gloomily.

"He is really very moody, for a doctor," thought Desire, as she
sauntered back through the dusk. "It seems to me that he needs cheering
up."

Then she probably forgot him, for certainly no thought of his
gloominess disturbed her beauty sleep. A fresher or more glowing bride
had never gathered flowers for her own reception. She had carried them
into all the rooms; careless for once of their cool aloofness; making
them welcome her whether they would or not. Then, as the stir of
preparation ceased and the house sank into perfumed quiet, she had
slipped back into her own pink and grey room for a breathing space
before it was time to dress.

At Aunt Caroline's earnest request she had taken Yorick with her.
"For," said Aunt Caroline, "I refuse to receive guests with that bird
within hearing distance. The things he says are bad enough but I have a
feeling that he knows many things which he hasn't said yet. And people
are sensitive. Only the other day when old Mrs. Burton was calling him
'Pretty Pol,' he burst into that dreadful laugh of his and told her to
'Shake a leg'! How the creature happened to know about the scandal of
her early youth I can't say. But it is quite true that she did dance on
the stage. She grew quite purple when that wretched bird threw it up to
her."

Desire had laughed and promised to sequestrate Yorick for the
afternoon. He had taken the insult badly and was now muttering protests
to himself with throa