was sufficiently infected by the advertising in the papers to dare to
intrust her friend with the whole of a two-dollar bill to be
judiciously invested if bargains should really run as wildly rife as
was predicted.

Susan departed very early and did not get back till very late--so late
in fact that her next-door neighbor had the time to become more than a
little anxious as to the possibilities of some mischance having
befallen her two-dollar bill.

But towards eight o'clock signs of life next door appeared to the
anxious watcher in the Lathrop kitchen window, and one minute later
she was on her way across. She found the front door, which was
commonly open, to be uncommonly shut, and was forced to rap loudly and
wait lengthily ere the survivor of the Fire-Sale came to let her in.

Then when the door did open the figure which appeared in the opening
was such as to startle even the phlegmatically disposed chewer of
clover.

"My heavens alive, Susan, whatever is the matter with--"

Susan backed faintly into the hall so as to allow the other to enter.

"I'm worn to a frazzle--that's all!" she said weakly and wearily.

They turned into the parlor, where the lamp was burning, and Mrs.
Lathrop gave a little frightened scream:

"Susan! why, you look half--"