antic in the steerage would
even have a hundred pounds in the world. Somebody had perhaps given him
the dog from a good kennel, when it was a wee puppy, I said to myself;
but this, though it eased my mind in one way, made the gift seem all
the more pathetic;--that that poor, handsome Jim Brett should part with
something he must have loved (for who could have Vivace and not love
him?) to please me. I should have liked to write a note to the
Manhattan Club, where he had told me he was employed, to thank him. But
he had sent the present anonymously, and I felt somehow as if he hadn't
meant or wished me to acknowledge it.

While I was wondering what I should do, the brougham stopped before a
shop even larger than Harrod's or the Army and Navy Stores. There were
lovely things in the windows, things that looked like American women,
and not like English or even French ones, though I couldn't define the
difference if I were ordered to with a revolver at my head.

The petticoats and stockings and belts and lace things and parasols,
and especially blouses, were so perfectly thrilling that my heart began
to beat quite fast at sight of them. I felt as if I must have some
immediately; and when Mrs. Ess Kay said that this was "quite a cheap
store," I said to myself that I would do something more interesting
than watch her shopping.

She had to buy handkerchiefs to begin with, for most of hers had
disappeared in the wash at foreign hotels; and Sally wanted veiling.
Those were not interesting to me, because they are necessary; and
necessaries, like your daily bread and such things, are so dull. I said
that I would just wander about a little, as they thought they would be
some time, and we made an appointment to meet in half an hour at what
they called the notion counter. I hadn't an idea what it was, and
didn't like to ask, because I had asked so many questions already; but
I knew that I could get someone to take me there when the half hour was
up.

When you want everything you see, but aren't sure which things you want
enough to buy and how many you can afford, it's less confusing to prowl
alone. Besides, there was an exciting feeling of independence in
strolling about unchaperoned in a shop as big as a village, in a
strange foreign city.

I really did need a sunshade to go with a blue dress of mine, because
my only light one (if I don't count rather a common white thing) is
pink. I saw some beauties, and I wanted to ask the pri