Diana leaned gracefully over the counter, resting the hand containing the handkerchief over the mouth of an empty Doulton vaseempty save for the water which had nourished the flowers.

" Young Mershone seemed searching the floral booth as earnestly as the others, and awkwardly knocked the Doulton vase from the shelf with his elbow.

The mantelpiece was littered with dusty letters, and two trays of Doulton ware which ornamented it were filled with accounts, scraps of twine, buttons, and rusty keys.

DOULTON, SIR HENRY, the reviver of art pottery, born in Lambeth; knighted in the Jubilee year for his eminence in that department; b. 1820.