_Credit_

Gown ............... $100.00
Underwear .......... 10.00
Hose ............... 3.00
Corset ............. 15.00
Slippers ........... 10.00
Wrap ............... 50.00
Gloves ............. 4.00
--------
Total .............. $192.00

Explanatory comment:
Honey's outfit not directly
descended from, but
collaterally related
to "Dress-Suit
Account"--an inevitable
expenditure.

Skinner noted that everything was on the debit side until the night of
the First Presbyterian reception. Then he put down:--

_Dress-Suit Account_

_Debit_ _Credit_

Beginning of social education.

And he did n't neglect to add the relatively unimportant item:--

_Debit_ _Credit_

Cab fare saved: $1.50.

From that time on, both debit and credit items were put down as they
occurred to Skinner.

While Skinner was thus directly concerned with the dress-suit account,
that potent affair was rapidly developing ramifications in an
unsuspected direction.

"I say, Perk," said McLaughlin to the junior partner, the day after the
reception, "I saw Skinner and his wife at the First Presbyterian affair
in Meadeville last night, and, by jingo, they were all dressed up to
the nines."

"There's nothing startling in that."

"No--but what do you suppose Skinner's wife said to Mrs. Mac?"

Perkins sighed heavily at the bare suggestion. "What the deuce has
that got to do with me?"

"Wait till I tell you. She almost wept on Mrs. Mac's neck while she
told her how grateful she was--grateful for the way we had shown our
appreciation of Skinner!"

Perkins pricked up his ears. "The deuce you say!"

"I thought you'd come to," said McLaughlin.

"What did she mean by that?"

"Don't know. Mrs. Mac asked her what she was driving at--and she said
I 'd understand. She wanted me to know how she felt about it--that's
all!"

Perkins's only comment was, "Curious!"

"Say, Perk," McLaughlin went on, "do you reckon she was trying to be
sarcastic--trying to give us a sly dig for turning Skinner down?"

"He'd never tell her that."

"Then what _did_ she mean?"

Perkins shrugged his shoulders.

McLaughlin knitted his brows. "I don't understand it." He drummed on
the table with the paper-knife. "I to