discussed lawn-tennis tournaments with her neighbour, which was quite
as little interesting to the general public as was the G.F.S. However,
as soon as Primrose had said grace, Lady Merrifield proposed to take
Miss Hacket down to the stable-yard; and the whole train followed
excepting the two girls, who trusted Hal to see whether their pets
would suffer inconvenience. However it soon was made evident to
Gillian that she was not wanted, and that Dolores and Constance had no
notion of wandering about the paved courts and bare coach-houses, among
the dogs and cats, guinea-pigs, and fowls. Indeed, Constance, who was
at least seven years older than Gillian, and a full-blown young lady,
dismissed her by saying 'that she was going to see Miss Mohun's books.'

'Oh, certainly,' said Gillian, in a voice as though she were rather
surprised, though much relieved.

So off the friends went together--for of course they were to be
friends. The Miss Mohun had been uttered in a tone that clearly meant
to be asked to drop it, so they were to be Dolores and Constance
henceforth, if not Dolly and Cons. Dolores was such a lovely name that
Constance could not mangle it, and was sure there was some reason for
it. The girl had, in fact, been named after a Spanish lady, whom her
mother had known and admired in early girlhood, and to whom she had
made a promise of naming her first daughter after her. No doubt
Dolores did not know that Mrs. Mohun had regretted the childish promise
which she had felt bound to keep in spite of her husband's dislike to
the name, which he declared would be a misfortune to the child.

Dolores was really proud of its peculiarity, and delighted to have any
one to sympathize with her, in that and a great deal besides, which she
communicated to her new friend in the window-seat of her room. When