ancy
it! A whole fortnight without a grumble. It seems almost too good to
be true!"

"It does!" said the English mistress eloquently. She sat upright on the
green plush sofa, her shabby slippers well in evidence beneath the edge
of her shabby skirt, staring with curious eyes at the radiant figure of
the girl in the opposite chair. "I don't think you need a day at all!"

"Because I'm going to a solitary party? Only two minutes ago, my love,
you were sympathising with my hard lot! I shall have Fridays. I'm
tired on Fridays, and it's getting near the time for making up accounts.
I can be quite a creditable grumbler on Fridays."

"Well, just as you like! You _are_ going to the party, I suppose?
Haven't changed your mind by any chance, and determined to spend the
evening hectoring me! If you are going, you'd better go. I'll sit up
for you and keep some cocoa--"

Claire rose with a smile.

"I appreciate the inference! Starved and disillusioned, I am to creep
home and weep on your bosom. Well, we'll see! Good-bye for the
present. I'll tell you all about it when I get back..."

A minute's whistling at the front door produced a taxi, in which Claire
seated herself and was whirled westward through brightly lighted
streets. In the less fashionable neighbourhoods the usual Saturday
crowd thronged round the shops and booths, making their purchases at an
hour when perishable goods could be obtained at bargain prices. Claire
and Cecil had themselves made such expeditions before now, coming home
triumphant with some savoury morsel for supper, and with quite a lavish
supply of flowers to deck the little room. At the time the expeditions
had been pleasant enough, and there had seemed nothing in the least
_infra dig_ in taking advantage of the opportunity; but to-night the
girl in the cloudy cloak looked through the windows of her chariot with
an ineffable condescension, and found it difficult to believe that she
herself had ever made one of so insignificant a throng!

"How I do love luxury! It's the breath of my nostrils," she said to
herself with a little sigh of content, as she straightened herself in
her seat, and smiled back at her own reflection in the strip of mirror
opposite. Her hair had "gone" just right. What a comfort that was!
Sometimes it took a stupid turn and could not be induced to obey. She
opened the cloak at the top and peeped at the dainty whiteness within,
with the daring, thoroughly Fren