nia. "That's the way you've been
always."

"You're different to me," went on the elder sister.

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. You'd do any man credit."

"Oh, Fanny!"

"But I'd hate to see you try to keep house on eighteen per. That means
doing your own work, including the cooking--yes, and the washing--and
you weren't made for that."

"Don't worry about me--I'll be all right."

"I hope so," sighed Fanny.

"I will, don't fear," smiled Virginia.

Not yet discouraged the shipping clerk returned to the attack. Folding
his arms in authoritative fashion and addressing his future
sister-in-law he said severely:

"Will you give me a straight answer to a plain question? If Mr.
Stafford does ask you to marry him, will you? Come on, now, will you?"

"I won't talk about such things," retorted the girl.

Her face flushed up. It was easy to see that she was getting angry.
Shrugging his shoulders, the young man walked away, but sarcastically
he said:

"Well, if he does and you don't accept him, you'll be the biggest fool
that ever lived!"

"That's just what I say," laughed Fanny. "Ha! I wish he'd ask me!"

Quickly Virginia turned to her sister.

"Would you accept him?" she asked.

"Would I?" laughed Fanny. "Oh, would I?"

"And throw Jimmie over?"

"I'd throw Jimmie so far and so hard he'd think he was struck by a
cyclone."

"And I wouldn't blame her," said the young man, scratching his head.

Virginia looked in amazement from one to the other.

"I can't understand either of you," she exclaimed.

Never at a loss for an answer the clerk proceeded to explain:

"Why should I expect any girl to stick to me and fourteen per when she
can have a place like this? Look at this swell furniture, these rugs,
and them ornaments--" Going, over to the mantelpiece, he picked up one
of the costly Peach Blow vases, examined it critically for a moment
and turned to the girls: "I suppose this is one of them
peach--peach--something or other--vases I've read about."

"Peach Blow," corrected Virginia.

"That's it," he grinned. "I suppose it's worth six or seven thousand
dollars--"

"Be careful!" exclaimed Virginia warningly, "or you'll drop it."

The words were hardly uttered when Jimmie's foot caught in the rug and
he stumbled, dropping the vase, which broke into two pieces.
Bewildered, horrified, he stood still, surveying with dismay the
fragments at his feet.

"Now you've done it!" he exclaimed hoarsely.

"I have