You ape rich women; but you'll never be able to pay the everlasting
cleaners' bills for those caps."

"She'll soon give up wearing them, Mrs. Amber."

"I'm sure I shan't," Marie denied.

"When I was a girl," said Mrs. Amber, smoothing her lap reminiscently,
"I remember I wanted a grand trousseau. But girls lived at home more in
those days; they didn't go out typing and what not, earning money for
themselves. So I couldn't buy what I wanted and my dear mother had too
much sense to buy it for me. I had strong, useful things, twelve of
everything, and they've lasted to this day. However, Marie thinks
differently and she has earned the money to act differently, so let her
be happy in her own way while she can."

"Won't she be happy when she's married?" Julia asked, while Marie
angrily hid her treasures away in tissue paper.

"I hope so," said Mrs. Amber; "I'm sure I hope so. But things are all
so different when you're married. You girls had better come to tea."

Julia linked her arm strongly in Marie's as they followed the elderly
woman out. "Marie, love," she whispered, "I'm a grouser. You know I
wish you all the luck in the world and more. You know I do?"

"I have it," said Marie, smiling. "And I hope you'll have it, too,
before long."

On the sitting-room table tea was spread; the room was red in the