it," was her comment. "I should
never have those old chairs and things sticking about."

"O mother! yes, you would; they are most beautiful, and so
old-fashioned; with the arms of the barons of Coppleby carved on them."

"I shouldn't want the arms of the barons of Coppleby on the chairs in
my house, if I was the Earl of Brierley."

"But they are everywhere, mother; they are cut and painted over the
fireplace in the baron's hall."

"I'd cut 'em out, then, and put up my own. Fire buckets, too! How
ridiculous. What ornaments for a house!"

"I like them," said Dolly.

"Oh, you like everything. But, Dolly, what does your father think is to
become of us? He in London, and we here! Such a way of living!"

"But you wanted country air, mother."

"I didn't; not in this way. Air isn't everything. Did he say, if he
could not come down Saturday, he would send Mr. St. Leger?"

"I do not see why he should," said Dolly gaily. "We don't want him."

"Now, what do you say that for, Dolly?"

"Just because _I_ don't want him, mother. Do you?"

"He's a very good young man."

Dolly was silent.

"And very rich."

Dolly said nothing.

"And I am sure he is very agreeable."

Then, as her utterances still met no response, Mrs. Copley broke out.
"Dolly, why don't you say something? I have nobody to talk to but you,
and you don't answer me! I might as well talk to the wall."

"Mother, I would rather have father come down to see us. If the choice
lies between them, I would rather have father."

Mrs. Copley leaned her head on her hand. "Dolly," she began again,
"your father acts exactly as if he had lost money."

Dolly again did not answer. The repeated words gave her a very startled
thrill.

"As if he had lost a good deal of money," Mrs. Copley went on. "I can't
get it out of my head that he has."

"It's no use to think about it, mother," Dolly said as lightly as she
could. "Don't you trouble yourself, at any rate."

"That's foolish. How can I help troubling myself? And if it _was_ any
use to think about it, to be sure I needn't be troubled. Dolly, it
torments me day and night!" And tears that were bitter came into Mrs.
Copley's eyes.

"It need not, dear mother. Money is not the only thing in the world;
nor the best thing."

"And that's silly, too," returned her mother. "One's bread and butter
may not be the best thing in the world,--I am sure this bread
ain't,--but you can't live without it. What can you do without m