r boa is
aware that a silvered fox-stole simply cannot be sold for a guinea. Yet
Hugo had announced that he would sell two thousand of them at that
price, not to mention muffs to match at the same figure. And there was
the famous 'Incroyable' corset, white coutille, with wide belted band
round hips, double belt to buckle at sides, cut low--' Enough! Further
indiscretions of description are not necessary to show that eighteen and
nine is the lowest price at which a reasonable creature could hope to
obtain the 'Incroyable' corset. But Hugo's price was twelve and eleven.
And the whole-page advertisements were a solid blazing mass of such
jewels.

The young and pretty girl who had known that she would 'do it' hastened
with assured steps, and as quickly as the jostling multitudes would
allow, to the fur department. She was in pursuit of one of the silvered
fox-stoles with real brush at each end. She had her husband's
permission--nay, his command--to purchase a silvered fox-stole at a
guinea--if she could. On the way to her goal she encountered by chance
Simon Shawn, and it occurred that a temporary block compelled her to
halt before him. The two gazed at each other, and Simon looked away,
flushing. It was plain that, though acquainted, they were not on
speaking terms. The fact was, that their silence covered a domestic
drama--a drama which had arisen as the consequence of a great human
truth--namely, that even detectives will marry.

It will be remembered that on a certain morning in July, after Hugo had
finished pasting a notice on a mirror in one of the common rooms, in the
presence of a pink-aproned waitress, Albert Shawn entered, and kissed
the pink-aproned waitress. So far as possible, whom Albert Shawn kissed
he married, and he had married the waitress just the week before
Christmas, and this was she. Simon had objected sternly to the
_mesalliance_. It seemed shocking to Simon that a rising detective
should marry a girl who waited on shop-girls. Hence the drama. Hugo had
positively refused to allow an open quarrel between the brothers,
because of its inconvenience to himself, but he could not prevent a
quarrel between Simon and Lily--such was her name. They met now for the
first time since the marriage, and Lily's demeanour may be imagined. She
gazed through Simon as though he did not exist, and passed magnificently
onwards as soon as the throng permitted. She was Mrs. Albert Shawn, as
neat as ninepence, as smart and