ty, with badly dyed
hair; she had a yellow face with a network of small red veins all over it,
and yellow whites to her pale blue eyes. She took a fancy to Philip and
called him by his Christian name before he had been in the shop a week.

"We've both known what it is to come down," she said.

She told Philip that her real name was not Hodges, but she always referred
to "me 'usband Misterodges;" he was a barrister and he treated her simply
shocking, so she left him as she preferred to be independent like; but she
had known what it was to drive in her own carriage, dear--she called
everyone dear--and they always had late dinner at home. She used to pick
her teeth with the pin of an enormous silver brooch. It was in the form of
a whip and a hunting-crop crossed, with two spurs in the middle. Philip
was ill at ease in his new surroundings, and the girls in the shop called
him 'sidey.' One addressed him as Phil, and he did not answer because he
had not the least idea that she was speaking to him; so she tossed her
head, saying he was a 'stuck-up thing,' and next time with ironical
emphasis called him Mister Carey. She was a Miss Jewell, and she was going
to marry a doctor. The other girls had never seen him, but they said he
must be a gentleman as he gave her such lovely presents.

"Never you mind what they say, dear," said Mrs. Hodges. "I've 'ad to go
through it same as you 'ave. They don't know any better, poor things. You
take my word for it, they'll like you all right if you 'old your own same
as I 'ave."

The social evening was held in the restaurant in the basement. The tables
were put on one side so that there might be room for dancing, and smaller
ones were set out for progressive whist.

"The 'eads 'ave to get there early," said Mrs. Hodges.

She introduced him to Miss Bennett, who was the belle of Lynn's. She was
the buyer in the 'Petticoats,' and when Philip entered was engaged in
conversation with the buyer in the 'Gentlemen's Hosiery;' Miss Bennett was
a woman of massive proportions, with a very large red face heavily
powdered and a bust of imposing dimensions; her flaxen hair was arranged
with elaboration. She was overdressed, but not badly dressed, in black
with a high collar, and she wore black glace gloves, in which she played
cards; she had several heavy gold chains round her neck, bangles on her
wrists, and circular photograph pendants, one being of Queen Alexandra;
she carried a black satin bag and