ThelastdaysofAugustcame，andwiththemthelastweekoftheholiday。Alreadytherewasascentofautumnintheair，leaveswereturninggoldandred，andtheeveningscamecoolandsudden，uponthehotsummerafternoons。Marywasnotverywell；shehadcaughtacoldsomewhere，andexistedintheirritatingconditionofgoingoutonedayandbeingheldindoorsthenext。Thisupsethertemper，andatnightshehadnightmares，inwhichshesawcloudsofsmokecrawlinginatherwindow，snakesonthefloor，andcrimsonflamesdartingatherfromtheceiling。ItwasbecauseshewasinanabnormalconditionofhealththattheideaofdoingsomethingwithHamlethadgainedsuchaholduponher。Sheconsideredthematterfromeverypointofview。Shedidnotwanttobecrueltothedog；
shesupposedthatafteraweekortwohewouldbequitehappywithhisnewmaster，and，inanycase，hehadstrolledinsocasuallyupontheColefamilythathewasaccustomedtoawanderinglife。
Shedidnotintendthatanyoneshouldknow。Itwastobeadeepsecretallofherown。
JeremywasgoingtoschoolinSeptember，andbeforethenshemustmakehimfriendlytoheragain。Shesawstretchinginfrontofherallthelonelyautumnwithouthimandherownmemoriesofthemiserablesummertomakeherwretched。Shewasanextremelysentimentallittlegirl。
Asalwayshappenswhenoneismeditatingwithaplacatedconscienceawickeddeed，theopportunitywassuddenlyofferedtoMaryofachievingherpurpose。OnemorningJeremy，afterrefusingtolistentooneofMary’slongromances，losthistemper。