years ago an uncle on my mother’s side of the family, who had come into a small legacy, promised me a silver-fox stole for my birthday. I can’t tell you how excited I was about it, how I pictured myself showing it off to all my friends and enemies. Then just at that moment his wife died, and, of course, poor man, he could not be expected to think of birthday presents at such a time. He has lived abroad ever since, and I never got my fur. Do you know, to this day I can scarcely look at a silver-fox pelt in a shop window or round any one’s neck without feeling ready to burst into tears. I suppose if I hadn’t had the prospect of getting one I shouldn’t feel that way. Look, there is the fan counter, on your left; you can easily slip away in the crowd. Get her as nice a one as you can see—she is such a dear, dear girl.’

‘Hullo, I thought I had lost you,’ said Suzanne, making her way through an obstructive knot of shoppers. ‘Where is Bertram?’

‘I got separated from him long ago. I thought he was on ahead with you,’ said Eleanor. ‘We shall never find him in this crush.’

Which turned out to be a true prediction.

‘All our trouble and forethought thrown away,’ said Suzanne sulkily, when they had pushed their way fruitlessly through half a dozen departments.

‘I can’t think why you didn’t grab him by the arm,’ said Eleanor; ‘I would have if I’d known him longer, but I’d only just been introduced. It’s nearly four now, we’d better have tea.’

Some days later Suzanne rang Eleanor up on the telephone.

‘Thank you very much for the photograph frame. It was just what I wanted. Very good of you. I say, do you know what that Kneyght person has given me? Just what you said he would—a wretched fan. What? Oh, yes, quite a good enough fan in its way, but still …’

‘You must come and see what he’s given me,’ came in Eleanor’s voice over the ’phone.

‘You! Why should he give you anything?’

‘Your cousin appears to be one of those rare people of wealth who take a pleasure in giving good presents,’ came the reply.

‘I wondered why he was so anxious to know where she lived,’ snapped Suzanne to herself as she rang off.

A cloud has arisen between the friendships of the two young women; as far as Eleanor is concerned the cloud has a silver-fox lining.