The Argosy — page 268: what you’re looking at

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

210 Miss Oldham’s Chotsce. not ten minutes ago to another customer. I beg your pardon, Miss Oldham. I will at once telegraph to Liberty’s for two more pieces of exactly the same shade.” A little spot of bright colour had burned suddenly into each side of Miss Oldham’s face. She drooped her heavy eyelids for a moment, and raised her hand with an involuntary little movement to the pin at her throat. “IT fancied I had made myself perfectly understood,” she remarked, coldly. ‘It is very strange.” * And I fancied I had done so, madam,” the man answered. “I thought you said you would not take the silk ; but that you would call in half an hour and choose something else. In all the bustle that goes on around, I must have misunderstood—lI hope you will allow me to send to Liberty’s.” Miss Oldham was very angry. The man was telling her the strict truth, and as she was a clever woman, she ought to have seen at once that it was so. As matters stood, however, she disbelieved him. What she did think simply was that she, being new to Boroughbourne, had been despoiled of her mghtful purchase in order to suit the whim of an older and, perhaps, larger customer ; and her soul revolted at the injustice. Besides, woman-like, she was vexed about the silk. ‘You told me yourself,” she said, “that that particular shade of dead-gold colour was most uncommon. /You said if I wanted any more it would probably have to be specially dyed. I should find it very awkward to wait for that as I wanted the dress directly. Oh !—I see the silk is still there !” The man turned round for it, and put it down on the counter be- fore her. «© T have not had time even to parcel it up, madam,” he said, with rather an offended air, seeing that he was disbelieved. ‘ The gentle- man bought it to send to his daughter in Germany, and he promised to come back and give me the young lady’s correct address. Of course, if I had understood you to leave the matter even in indecision I should never have let the silk go. Perhaps some of our other shades might be equally satisfactory, madam.” The afternoon sun sparkled like a changing fire upon the brilliant silk. Miss Oldham’s eyes clouded the more as she looked at it. ‘Tf you were to explain the circumstances of the case to your customer,” she remarked, still in the same cold manner, “ I should think he could hardly refuse to let me have these pieces. Perhaps some of your other shades might be equally satisfactory to /z7.” As she spoke she had laid her parasol across the silk. She really had only done so in order that she might the more conveniently fasten a button of her glove ; but it seemed to the man as if she were going to take possession of it, and his face grew actually pale with alarm. ‘Oh, if you please, Miss Oldham,” he said, hurriedly, “J can assure you that Dr. Werner would never allow ” CONNEC MOOOKS.CO @ im