"No; that would offend the Count. You see, mamma, he thinks that we will
know without asking. He would hardly regard our ignorance as a
compliment," and Dorothy pouted. "You'd spoil everything."

Mrs. Hanway-Harley saw the force of this and yielded, though it cost her
curiosity a pang.

Dorothy's dearest friend was with them--a tall, undulating blonde, who
was sometimes like a willow and sometimes like a cat. When Mrs.
Hanway-Harley had left the room, and Miss Marklin and Dorothy were
alone, the former said firmly:

"Dorothy, who sent them?"

"Now, how should I know, Bess? You read the card."

"When a woman receives flowers, she always knows from whom," returned
this wise virgin oracularly.

"Well, then," said Dorothy resignedly, drawing the golden head of the
pythoness down until the small, pink ear was level with her lips, "if
you must know, let me whisper."

There are people who hold that everybody they do not understand is a
fool. There be others who hold that everybody who doesn't understand
them is a fool. Mrs. Hanway-Harley belonged to the former class, and not
making Richard out, she marked him "fool," and so informed Mr. Harley as
she penned the dinner invitation to Mr. Gwynn.