rgued Polly.

"It wouldn't take long to get him out of it," retorted Eleanor. "With
such a lovely woman as Mrs. Courtney to be had for the loving and asking,
I'd like to wager all I have that Dalky would walk into the snare."

"What snare? Who'd set it for his faltering steps?" laughed Polly,
enjoying this romancing to the utmost.

"Why, we would, to be sure. Now look at it in a practical way, Poll.
There is Mrs. Courtney: very good-looking, rich, refined, lonely, about
thirty-five or thirty-eight, at most. Here is our Dalky, also handsome,
rich, refined, lonely (but for us) about forty years old, and just the
man to have a wonderful wife to make him happy. Is that not an ideal
match?" Eleanor tossed her head wisely.

"That's what _we_ think! But we are not going to marry Dalky nor Mrs.
Courtney. They may not agree with us, you know."

"Polly, nothing like trying out a thing to see how it works. Now we must
scheme to bring those two together and let them find out how desirable
each is for the other," suggested Eleanor.

"I think that is a good plan--bring them together and see how they seem
to get along," said Polly, musingly.

"All right, then. How shall we do it?"

"Could we not invite Mrs. Courtney to inspect some of the materials we
are going to order for Dalky's apartment? We could so plan that Dalky
would be there at the same time. Then they would meet and hear that each
one is the great and only friend the other has heard so much about from
us?"

"Yes, that's a fine way to get them together," said Polly. "Now when
shall it be?"

"The sooner, the better," retorted Eleanor.

"We are going to get that book of new imported samples of damask, this
week, Nolla. Why not ask Mrs. Courtney to look at them. As they are
ordered for Dalky's apartment, what more natural than he should drop in
to look them over?"

Eleanor clapped Polly on the back with approval, and both girls then put
their heads together and romanced about the great match they would bring
about.

A few days after this conversation, the much-desired package came by
European post. It was the book of imported samples which had been ordered
for Mr. Dalken's inspection before he would place an order for the
materials. The work at Mrs. Courtney's residence had been delayed because
the youthful decorators said they wished to look over the magnificent
materials from Paris. When they were sure of Mr. Dalken's visit to the
Shops that morning, they als