knows where to go for it," added St. Leger. "So I am told."

"You have not found out by experience yet? We will explore together."

"Not for wine, father?" murmured Dolly.

"Yes, for wine. Wine is one of the good things. What do you think
grapes grow for, eh? Certainly, wine is a good thing, if it is properly
used. Eh, Lawrence?"

"I have always thought so, sir."

"Cheer your mother up now, Dolly. I believe it would do her lots of
good. Here it is. We'll try."

Dolly flushed with pain and anxiety. Yet here, how could she speak
plainly? Her father was opening the bottle, and the waiter was setting
the glasses.

"We have it on good authority, Miss Dolly," Lawrence said, looking at
her, and not sure how far he might venture, "that wine 'maketh glad the
heart of man.'"

"And on the same authority we have it that 'wine is a mocker.'"

"What will you do with contradictory authority?"

"They are not contradictory, those two words," said Dolly. "It is
deceitful; it gets hold of a man, and then he cannot get loose from it.
You _know_, Mr. St. Leger, what work it does."

"Not _good_ wine," said her father, tossing off his glass. "That's
fair; nothing extra. I think we can find better. Letitia, try it; I
have a notion it will do you good;--ought to have been tried before."

And he filled his wife's glass, and then Dolly's, and then Rupert's.
Dolly felt as nearly desperate as ever in her life. Her father had the
air of a man who has broken through a slight barrier between him and
comfort. Mrs. Copley sipped the wine. Lawrence looked observingly from
one face to another. Then Dolly stretched out her hand and laid it upon
Rupert's glass.

"Please stand by me, Rupert!" she begged.

"I will!" said the young man, smiling. "What do you want me to do?"

"Do as I do."

"I will."

Dolly lifted her glass and poured the contents of it into the nearly
emptied chocolate jug. Rupert immediately followed her example.

"What's that for?" said her father, frowning.

"It's waste," added her mother. "I call that waste."

"Don't make yourself ridiculous, Dolly!" Mr. Copley went on. "My child,
the world has drunk wine ever since before you were born, and it will
go on drinking it after you are dead. What is the use of trying to
change what cannot be changed? What can _you_ do?"

"Father, I will not help a bad cause."

"How is it a bad cause, Miss Dolly?" said Lawrence now. "It is a
certain pleasure,--but what harm?"

"Do