, later, as a "rather
spidery-looking, real lady," sat sewing.

She received them with a mixture of condescension and pleasure at the
thought of a new customer, which diverted Radmore, who was new to the
phenomenon of the lady shopkeeper. But when it came to business, she
took a very great deal of trouble, bringing out what seemed, at the time,
the whole of her considerable stock, for "The Bandbox" was cleverly lined
with deep, dust-proof cupboards.

At last she produced a quaint-looking little blue and purple bonnet, with
an exquisitely soft long motor veil of grey chiffon.

"My sister is at Monte Carlo," she observed, "and when she was passing
through Paris she got me a dozen early autumn models. I have already
copied this model in other colours, but this is the original motor
bonnet. May I advise that you try it on?"

It was in its way a delightful bit of colour, and Betty hardly knew
herself when she looked in the glass and saw what a very pretty
reflection was presented there. She was startled--but oh, how pleasantly
startled--to see how young she still could look.

"Of course you must have that one," said Radmore, in a matter of fact
tone, "and leave the horrid thing you wore coming here behind you." Then
he turned to Timmy:--"Now then, don't you think _you_ could choose
something for your mother?"

The lady of the shop turned patronisingly towards the little boy. She
went across to a corner cupboard and opened what appeared to be a rather
secret receptacle. Though she had not been in business long, she already
realised what an advantage it is to deal, as regards feminine fripperies,
with a man-customer. Also, Radmore, almost in spite of himself, looked
opulent.

"I think I have the very thing!" she explained. "It's a little on the
fantastic side, and so only suits a certain type of face."

As she spoke she brought out a miniature brown poke bonnet which was
wreathed with one uncurled ostrich feather of a peculiar powder blue
tint. She put it deftly on Betty's head, then stepped back and gazed
delightedly into the smiling face and dancing eyes of her new client.

"I have kept this back," she began, "hoping I should come across a
bride-elect whom it might really suit, for it would make a perfect
'going-away' hat! But it is so extraordinarily becoming to _this_ lady,
that I feel I ought to let _her_ have it!"

She turned appealingly to Radmore, but Timmy intervened:--"That's not my
mother!" he cried, goi