had been reserved for the
party, and Cornelia hated herself for feeling so little in sympathy with
a host and hostess whose one anxiety seemed to be to provide for her
enjoyment. From a printed list of amusements, she was bidden to make
her choice for every evening in the week; for the afternoons, river-
picnics were suggested, coaching expeditions to outlying scenes of
interest, drives in the Park. For the mornings--well, naturally, there
was just one thing to be done in the morning, and that was shopping!

"I hope you've brought up heaps of money, my dear. You'll need it. The
things are just heavenly this season!" Mrs Moffatt declared, but
Cornelia remained unfired.

"I've a circular note; it's all right so far as that goes, but I shan't
want any more clothes for ages! I brought over a whole trousseau, and
so far as I can see, the half will go back unpacked. They don't dress
down at Norton--they _clothe_! You've got to be covered right up to the
chin, and to work in all the blue serge you can, and that's about all
there is to it. If you fixed-up like we do at home, you'd make as much
stir as the fire-engine. I'd like to mail a few presents, if I saw
anything really new and snappy, but I shan't go near a store for
myself."

"I shall, then!" cried Mrs Moffatt, laughing. "I got next to nothing
in Paris. The shops over there aren't a patch on London, in my opinion,
and the language puts one off. I can't get the hang of it, and it gets
on my nerves fitting on clothes, and not being able to find fault.
You'll have to come round with me, Cornelia. I've been waiting till you
came, to decide on heaps of things. You've got such lovely taste.
Silas wants to give me some furs, and I've seen an emerald necklace that
I'm bound to have if I'm to know another happy moment. I've been in
twice to see it, and I guess the man's beginning to weaken. It would
pay him to let me have it at a reduction, rather than keep it lying
idle. You shall come with me, and say what you think it's worth; but
mind, I'm to have the first chance! You mustn't try to snap it up. A
few hundred dollars don't matter to you one way or the other, but I've
got to worry round to make the money go as far as it will. It's not
that Silas wants to stint me; he's not that sort, but he hasn't the
balance behind him your father has!"

Silas smiled in sickly acknowledgment of his wife's consideration,
fidgeted in his seat, and finally took himself