sing a flower shop there were
violets and roses. Passing a candy shop were chocolates. Passing a hat
shop there was a veil flung like a cloud over a celestial _chapeau_!
Passing an Everything-that-is-Lovely shop she saw an enchanting length of
silk--as pink as a sea-shell--silk like that which Cynthia Warfield had
worn when she sat for the portrait which hung in the library at
Crossroads!
Anne did not pass the Lovely Shop; she turned and went in, and bought ten
yards of silk with the money that she had meant to spend--and the money
she had meant to save!
And she missed the train!
Beulah was waiting for her as she came in breathless. "There isn't
another train for two hours," she complained.
Anne sank down on a bench. "I am sorry, Beulah. I didn't know it was so
late."
"We'll have to get supper in the station," Beulah said, "and I have spent
all my money."
"Oh, and I've spent mine." Anne reflected that if she had not bought the
silk she could have paid for Beulah's supper. But she was glad that she
had bought it, and that she had it under her arm in a neat package.
She dug into her slim purse and produced a dime. "Never mind, Beulah, we
can buy some chocolates."
But they were not destined for such meager fare. Rushing into the station
came Geoffrey Fox. As he saw the clock he stopped with the air of a man
baffled by fate.
Anne moving toward him across the intervening space saw his face change.
"By all that's wonderful," he said, "how did this happen?"
"We missed our train."
"And I missed mine. Who is 'we'?"
"Beulah is with me."
"Can't you both have dinner with me somewhere? There are two hours of
waiting ahead of us."
Anne demurred. "I'm not very hungry."
But Beulah, who had joined them, was hungry, and she said so, frankly. "I
am starved. If I could have just a sandwich----"
"You shall have more than that. We'll have a feast and a frolic. Let me
check your parcels, Mistress Anne."
Back they went to the golden-lighted streets and turning down toward the
city they reached at last the big hotel which has usurped the place of
the stately and substantial edifices which were once the abodes of
ancient and honorable families.
Within were soft lights and the sound of music. The rugs were thick, and
there was much marble. As they entered the dining-room, they seemed to
move through a golden haze. It was early, and most of the tables were
empty.
Beulah was rapturous. "I have always
|