w, Miss Copley"----

She put out her hand to stop him.

"Mr. St. Leger, can you do nothing to help? You are kind, I know; you
have always been kind to us; can you do nothing to help now?"

The young man rather opened his eyes. Was this asking him for an
advance? It was a very cool proceeding in that case. "Help?" he
repeated doubtfully. "What sort?"

"There is only one way that you could help," said Dolly.

He saw she meant what she meant, if he could know what that was; her
cheeks had even grown pale; the sweet, clear brown eyes sought his face
as if they would reach his heart, which they did; but then,--to assume
any of Mr. Copley's responsibilities--

"I'll assume all Mr. Copley's responsibilities, Dolly," he said with
rash decision--"if you'll smile upon me."

"Assume?--Oh, did you think I meant _that?_" cried Dolly, while a
furious flush came up into her face. "What a notion you must have of
Americans, Mr. St. Leger! Do you think father would make over his
responsibilities to another man? I did not mean anything so impossible
as that."

"Forgive me Then what did you mean?"

"Perhaps something as impossible," said Dolly sadly, while the flush
slowly paled. "I meant--couldn't you--could you--I don't know but it is
just as impossible!"----

"Could I, what? I could do most things, if you wished it, Dolly."

"Then you must not call me that till I give you leave. I was going to
say, could you perhaps do anything to get my father away from this
habit, or pleasure"----

"Of betting?"

"Betting--and cards--it's all the same. He never used to do it. Can you
help, Mr. St. Leger?"

Dolly's face was a sort of a marvel. It was so childlike, it was so
womanly; it was so innocent, and it was so forceful. Lawrence looked,
and would have liked to do the impossible; but what could he? It was
specially at his own father's card-table, he knew, that Mr. Copley had
lost money; it was wholly in his father's society that he had been
initiated into the fascination of wagers--and of something else. Could
he go against his own father? and how could he? and himself a player,
though a very cautious one, how should he influence another man not to
play?

"Miss Copley--I am younger than your father"---- Lawrence began.

"I know. But you might speak where I cannot. Or you might do something."

"Mr. Copley only does what my father does, and what everybody does."

"If you were to tell your father,--could not _he_ perhaps stop