ack had spent their first
winter, and she conjured up a vivid picture of the chilly salon, the
table of elderly English women, and the long, dull hours in her close,
back room. How long ago all that was, and how young and stupid she had
been then! She felt very much more alive now, an altogether new person,
with her business on her hands,--but not old, oh, not that!...

An ideal man pastry-cook was finally engaged, one highly recommended by
Madame Catteau as _vrai Parisien_, skilful in every sort of pastry, and
also three young women were induced, for love of Madame Brag-donne, to
try their fortune in the great city of Chicago. Also, Milly bought
quantities of bonbons, liquors, sirops, and other specialities of the
business, which she knew could not be had "really, truly French" in
America. With a feeling of having accomplished much, Milly gathered her
flock and set sail from Havre on the French steamer. M. Paul--the
pastry-cook--insisted on having a first-class passage, and would
converse with Milly whenever he found her on deck. The girls were sick
in the second cabin. Milly was indulgent with them all by sympathy as
well as by policy, but she was glad to see Sandy Hook. She decided that
the French temperament needed occupation, and she hustled her conscripts
across the city and into the Chicago train without an hour's delay.

Ernestine, Virginia, and Sam Reddon met the party at the Chicago station
and escorted the exclamatory laborers to their new home on the upper
floor of the old mansion. Then Milly and Sam went to see the Cake Shop,
which was now ready for its sweet merchandise. Milly, though she was
fresh from Paris, was much pleased with Sam's results, and praised him
warmly.

"It's cost an awful sight of money," Ernestine observed lugubriously.

Milly waved one hand negligently. Ernestine was almost as bad as Grandma
had been. Would she never rise to the conception of modern business? It
was not the outgo that counted, but the receipts. Milly knew that
already.

"I'll do you a better one next time," Sam promised, "when you open your
first _succursale_, Milly."

"That will be next autumn--in New York," Milly announced.

"My stars!" said Ernestine.

V

MILLY'S SECOND TRIUMPH

They opened the Cake Shop just before the holidays, with a great party.
Milly was positive that was the right procedure, though Ernestine could
see no point to giving away so much "trade." Nearly a thousand finely
engrav