he Doctor it was related.

"Why did you ever go from me?" she asked, wiping away a real tear.

"I believe, aunt, I shall keep up the business of going--it suits me.
I can never live through your conventional cramps."

She did not think it prudent to combat him just then; but made a
mental memorandum that something must be done that would change his
foolish resolution. A plan developed at dinner that evening.

"I had a note yesterday from Mrs. Senator Conch," said Mrs. Formica.
"She will be in Saratoga this week, and begs me to meet her there.
Formica and I have been talking it over, Osgood, and we think that it
will be pleasant for Dr. Black and you to go up for a week. You will
go, Doctor?"

"Thank you, Madam, provided Osgood is not averse."

"Any of our set there?" Osgood asked.

"The Trees went up last Saturday with Barclay Dodge. They are making
an extensive tour this year."

"What's Barclay Dodge along for?"

"He is engaged to Lily Tree!"

"Ah!" said Osgood, looking at the Doctor, who could not help giving
him a malicious grimace. "How long since? It's a capital match, ain't
it?"

"The engagement must have been announced soon after you left."

This reply put Osgood in a brown study. What impulse, he mused, had
prompted Lily to give herself to Barclay Dodge? Would _he_ have done
so?

Dr. Black commented on Osgood's face, and considered himself in a fair
way to make studies.

"As far as money goes," continued Mrs. Formica, "it may be called a
good match; but certainly not as far as family goes."

"Family!" echoed Dr. Black, softly.

"His father was a tradesman," explained Mr. Formica, "while Lily can
go back to her great-grandfather before trade need be mentioned."

"Old Mr. Tree's father," remarked his wife, "was a brigadier-general
in the Revolution."

"He was a drover, for all that," said Osgood.

Mrs. Formica changed the theme, and talked of Saratoga.

"We'll go," Osgood said, crossly; "but I must first go to my tailor."

Mrs. Formica held a private conversation with him after dinner, gave
him a check, and told him not to worry about the future: she had a
plan in view.

"Plans go by contraries with me, aunt."

"You owe it to me not to be perverse."

"I can't pay any debt."

Previous to going to bed Dr. Black and Osgood smoked several cigars.

"You strike me," said the Doctor, "as growing to the dramatic just
now. One event runs into another with monstrous rapidity among you
Amer