I try on ready-mades," she replied, with
sweet reticence.

"Gee!" he said. "Wouldn't I like you in some of my models! Maybe if you
ain't no snitch I'll show you the colored plates some day."

"I ain't no snitch," she said. Her voice was like a far-away echo.

They climbed the wooden steps to their hotel like glorified children who
had been caught in a silver weft of enchantment.

The lobby was semi-dark; they asked for their keys in whispers and
exchanged good-nights in long-drawn undertones.

"Until to-morrow, little one."

"Until to-morrow."

She entered the elevator with a smile on her lips and in her eyes. They
regarded each other through the iron framework until she shot from
sight.

* * * *

At breakfast next morning Mrs. Blondheim drew up before her "small
steak, French-fried potatoes, jelly omelet, buttered toast, buckwheat
cakes, and coffee."

"Well, of all the nerve!" she exclaimed to her vis-a-vis, Mrs. Epstein.
"If there ain't Myra Sternberger eatin' breakfast with that Mr.
Arnheim!"

Mrs. Epstein opened a steaming muffin, inserted a lump of butter, and
pressed the halves together. "I said to my husband last night," she
remarked, 'I'm glad we 'ain't got no daughters'; till they're married
off and all, it ain't no fun. With my Louie, now, it's different. When
he came out of the business school my husband put him in business, and
now I 'ain't got no worry."

"My Bella 'ain't never given me a day's worry, neither. I ain't in no
hurry to marry her off. She always says to me, 'Mamma,' she says, 'I
ain't in no hurry to marry till Mr. Right comes along.'"

"My Louie is comin' down to-day or to-morrow on his vacation if he can
get away from business. Louie's a good boy--if I do say so myself."

"I don't want to talk--but I often say what my Bella gets when she
marries is enough to give any young man a fine start in a good
business."

"I must have my Louie meet Miss Bella. The notes and letters Louie gets
from girls you wouldn't believe; he don't pay no attention to 'em. He's
an awful mamma-boy, Mrs. Blondheim."

"It will be grand for them to meet," said Mrs. Blondheim. "If I do say
it, my Bella's had proposals you wouldn't believe! Look at Simon Arnheim
over there--he only met her yesterday, and do you think he would leave
her side all day? No, siree. Honest, it makes me mad sometimes. A grand
young man comes along and Bella introduces him to every one, but she
won't have nothin' to do with him