Wych Hazel sat watching her friend at her toilet.
'Because,' said Hazel, 'your dress is not looped right. And I want to alter it.'
Primrose laughed a little. 'What's the use?' she said. 'Next time it will be wrong again. I can't reach the mystery of your loopings. They _are_ loopings, but your dress is never in a bunch anywhere only falls into place in a lovely manner. I can't be like that, Hazel.'
Hazel's busy fingers were making changes.
'There!'she said. 'Now it is a great deal more "beautiful." Do you feel demoralized?'
'Hazel!' said Prim facing round,'did you suppose I mean _that?_ When Dane likes everything to be as beautiful, and as _right_, every way, as it can be? Look at his horses; and look at his own dress.'
'Ask him to look at your's,'Hazel said with a laugh, and pushing Prim gently before her into the next room.
Breakfast was well seasoned with talk, and the talkers lingered over their meal, until Dr. Arthur declared that if the rest could stay there all day, he could not; and so broke up the sitting.
'Miss Kennedy,' he said as they left the table, 'will you come to the door a moment, before you put on your hat, and let me see your eyes?'
'See my eyes!'Hazel followed him doubtfully.
'Yes, I want to know how they look now they are open. How nearly do you feel like yourself again?' he said, in the midst of a somewhat close and earnest examination.
' "Perfectly well."For instance, did you thoroughly enjoy riding on horseback yesterday?'
In spite of the evident good faith of the doctor's question, Wych Hazel's cheeks gave such instant swift answer, that he was fain to turn his eyes away.
'Not the October air,' he went on gravely, 'nor the coloured leaves, nor the sunshine; nor even the exhilaration; but the _exercise_. How is that, compared with a year ago?'
'I am not quite so strong for it, I think,' Hazel answered unwillingly.
'_Im_perfectly well,' said Dr. Arthur. 'And for what are you most inclined when the ride is over?'but again the tell-tale face warned him of dangerous ground.
'I have not been riding much'she said deprecatingly. 'I am all out of practice.'
'That goes for something. Always supposing that it always used to be so when you happened to be "out of practice." '