The Craze of Christina — page 122: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

118 The Craze of Christina. ~~ CHAPTER IX. Miss AsHuey’s cold was very much better on Monday morning. Shecame downstairs in time for the midday dinner, and her secretary noted_ with some amusement that she wore her best Sunday gown of shot silk. Miss Pratt was in the shop, where she had been attending to a customer, when she overheard her employer giving sundry orders to Susan in the back premises. There were to be muffins for tea and a chocolate cake from the confectioner’s; cream also was to be added to the feast, and half a pound of high-priced tea was to be puar- chased from the grocer’s. Then the rustle of the shot silk was heard at the door that led from the shop into the cot- tage, and Miss Ashley summoned her assistant to the parlor. | They sat down opposite one another with some slices of cold mutton between them. “It is a very nice afternoon for you, Miss Pratt,’’ remarked Miss pidigsed Btactouesys ; ‘you will enjoy your holiday.”’ ;