to
one another."

Berry laughed hysterically.

"What a charming idea!" he said brokenly. "And how generous! I shall
always treasure it. Every time I look at my pass-book..."

Overcome with emotion he stepped out of the room.

A muffled bark reminded me that Nobby was still imprisoned, and I rose
to follow my brother-in-law.

As I was closing the door, I heard my wife's voice.

"You know, I'm simply pining to see that shawl."

* * * * *

At ten o'clock the next morning the most beautiful piece of embroidery
I have ever seen passed into our possession in return for the
ridiculously inadequate sum of two thousand francs.

Obviously very old, the pale yellow silk of which the shawl was made
was literally strewn with blossoms, each tender one of them a work of
art. All the matchless cunning, all the unspeakable patience, all the
inscrutable spirit of China blinked and smiled at you out of those
wonderful flowers. There never was such a show. Daring walked
delicately. Daintiness was become bold. Those that wrought the
marvel--for so magnificent an artifice was never the work of one
man--were painters born--painters whose paints were threads of silk,
whose brushes, needles. Year after year they had toiled upon these
twenty-five square feet of faded silk, and always perfectly. The thing
was a miracle--the blazing achievement of a reachless ideal.

Upon both lovely sides the work was identical: the knotted
fringe--itself bewildering evidence of faultless labour--was three feet
deep, and while the whole shawl could have been passed through a
bracelet, it scaled the remarkable weight of nearly six pounds.

Daphne, Adele, and Jill with one voice declared that it was finer than
Sally's. As for Berry, Jonah, and myself, we humbly withdrew such
adverse criticism as we had levelled at the latter, and derived an
almost childish glee from the possession of its fellow.

It was, indeed, our joy over this latest requisition that stiffened
into resolution an uneasy feeling that we ought to give Sally a slice
of our luck.

After considerable discussion we decided to make her a present of the
three Chinese mats. She had bought three of Planchet upon his last
visit, and those we had just purchased would bring her set up to six.
Lest we should repent our impulse, we did them up there and then and
sent them off by Fitch the same afternoon.

* * * * *

Christmas w