to an English lord." How the
thrilling tale began to go the rounds nobody in "Blouses" could tell.
But whenever any famous personage--a millionaire's daughter or an
actress, a society beauty or the heroine of a fashionable
scandal--enters a big department store, the news of her advent runs
from counter to counter like wildfire. In some shops the appearance of
an Astor, a Vanderbilt, or a Princess Patricia would send up the
mercury of excitement forty degrees higher than that of a Miss or Mr.
Rolls. But at the Hands, Peter the Great's son and daughter would have
drawn all eyes from the reigning Czar and Czarina of Russia.

It was rumoured that they had lunched early in the Pompeian
restaurant. The waitress who had served them had not known until too
late. She would regret this all her life. Mr. Michaels, of
"Jewellery," who had been honoured by showing them pearls, was envied
by all his fellows, and the same with Miss Dick, of "Candy," and Miss
Wallace, in "Perfume." Girls in all departments grew quite jumpy in
expectation that the party might appear, and under the intense nervous
strain of trying to recognize them in time.

"Rubberneck!" one hissed to another, and giggled if she made her
start.

Even Miss Stein, now somewhat resigned to fate and looking more kindly
at Fred Thorpe, became condescending and communicative in the general
flurry.

"Keep your eyes peeled for a good-looking, short guyl in blue velvet,
with an ermine muff and stole that's a beaut from Beautville," she
said to Win. "Thorpe saw her. He's had her pointed out to him at the
theayter, so he knows. Her brother's dark and thin, but blue eyed. I
saw in the Sunday supplement he's goin' to marry the sister of that
lord."

* * * * *

There was a dinner at Sea Gull Manor that night in honour of the
Rolls's guests, and just as Eileen had finished dressing, her brother
Raygan knocked at her door.

"Want me to say your tie's all right?" she chirped.

"No, my child, I do not," said Rags. "I wouldn't trust your taste
round the corner with a tie. You're looking rather pleased with
yourself--what?"

"I'm pleased with myself and everybody else," replied Eileen. "This is
one of my happy nights."

"I wonder why? There's sure to be a dull crowd at dinner. I've found
out now the Rollses know all the wrong lot."

"I found that out _long_ ago. But I don't care. And I'm going to sit
by Petro. So I shall be all right."

"You