ll give you a draft on Uncle Cox," replied Don, taking out his
cheque-book and fountain-pen. "You must feel rather bewildered, but the
fact of the matter is that the lady chances to be the orphan of a very
dear friend, and coming from a country place she has no idea of the cost
of things. I would not disillusion her for the world, just yet. Will you
please make a note to send the gown to Miss Duveen at this address." He
laid one of his aunt's cards upon the table. "But--an important
point--enclose no receipt; nothing that would afford a clue to the
price. Will you remember?"

"I shall remember," said the saleswoman, greatly relieved and beginning
to smile once more.

So the quaint comedy of deception began and so it proceeded right
merrily; for passing on to the furniture department, Don took the man
aside and succeeded, although not without difficulty in this case, in
making him an accomplice. As a result of the conspiracy Flamby purchased
an exquisite little dressing-table of silver-maple (for thirty-five
shillings), a large Axminster carpet and a Persian rug (three pounds,
fifteen shillings), a miniature Jacobean oak suite (six guineas), a
quaint bureau and bookcase (fifty shillings), and a perfect stack of
cushions (at prices varying from half-a-crown to three shillings and
elevenpence-three-farthings, or, in technical terminology,
"three-and-eleven-three.") The man became infected with the quixotic
spirit of the affair and revealed himself in his true colours as a
hierophant of the higher mysteries. Producing secret keys, he exhibited
those arcana, of the inner rooms which apparently are not for sale but
which are kept solely for the purpose of dazzling the imagination: jade
Buddhas, contemplative and priceless, locked in wonderful Burmese
cabinets, strange ornaments of brass and perfume-burners from India,
mandarin robes of peacock-blue, and tiny caskets of that violet
lacquering which is one of the lost arts of Japan.

With some few items of glassware, vases and pictures purchased
elsewhere, Flamby's expenditure amounted to more than twenty-five
pounds, at which staggering total she stared in dismay. "Shall I really
be able to pay it?" she asked.

"My dear Flamby, you have only just begun. The really essential things
you will be able to buy when the Aunt is with you. I am instructing all
the shops with which you may have occasion to do business to send
accounts to Nevin. He will let you know quickly enough if