It's very nearly four, and I said we'd have tea
early."

"I'm glad of that." Fanny beamed approval. "To tell you the truth, Toni,
I hadn't time for much lunch. We're supposed to shut at one, you know,
but of course we don't get off at once, and to-day everything went
wrong! At the last minute I upset a box of ribbons, and the spiteful
things all went and got unrolled, and then that odious little
Jackson--you know, the shopwalker I told you about--came and slanged me
like anything."

"What a shame!" Toni had been one of the workers of the world too
recently to have lost sympathy with the grievances of those who work. "I
wish you could leave the old shop, Fanny. Why don't you and Josh get
married?"

"Too soon." Fanny was of a prudent nature. "We _must_ wait till Josh
gets a rise, and I can't afford to leave the shop. You see, I must have
a few clothes before I marry ... by the way, Toni, what about your
clothes? You didn't get much when you married, did you?"

"No, but before we came here we went up to town and stayed at the
Russell for two days and did a whole heap of shopping." Toni stifled a
sigh at the thought of those long hours spent in shops. "You see I
didn't really know what to get, so Owen went, with me, and I got a lot
of things ready-made, and was fitted for others, so I have quite a
trousseau by now!"

"That skirt's well-cut," said Miss Gibbs, surveying her cousin
critically. "Blue serge always looks well--and that white blouse is good
thick silk."

"I'm glad you like it. Owen likes me in these low collars, and they're
cool." Toni looked at the clock. "But come upstairs and take off your
hat and we'll have tea straight away."

Nothing loth, Miss Gibbs agreed; and went into fresh raptures when she
saw Toni's bedroom.

"My! What lovely furniture!" She went up to the toilet-table and began
to examine it. "And these silver brushes and things--are they all
yours?"

"Yes. Owen gave them to me."

"Well to be you," commented Miss Gibbs briskly. "What a lovely long
glass, too! Can't you see yourself properly just!"

She stood in front of the glass so long that Toni grew impatient.

"Hurry up, Fan! I'm sure tea's ready and I'm dying for some. I hadn't
much lunch."

Thus incited, Miss Gibbs laid aside the flowery hat she had been
admiring, disclosing a much curled and waved _coiffure_, and together
the cousins ran downstairs, just as Andrews carried in the silver
tea-pot and the hot cakes.

Kate, t