"How did you make out at Horn & Udell's? Never mind, I'm
coming in for a minute; can I?"

"Please do. I need you."

A moment later Ella bounced in, fresh as to blouse, pink as
to cheeks, her whole appearance a testimony to the
revivifying effects of a warm bath, a brief nap, clean
clothes.

"Dear child, you look tired. I'm not going to stay. You
get dressed and I'll meet you for dinner. Or do you want
yours up here?"

"Oh, no!"

"'Phone me when you're dressed. But tell me, isn't it a
wonder, this town? I'll never forget my first trip here. I
spent one whole evening standing in front of the mirror
trying to make those little spit-curls the women were
wearing then. I'd seen 'em on Fifth avenue, and it seemed
I'd die if I couldn't have 'em, too. And I dabbed on rouge,
and touched up my eyebrows. I don't know. It's a kind of a
crazy feeling gets you. The minute I got on the train for
Chicago I washed my face and took my hair down and did it
plain again."

"Why, that's the way I felt!" laughed Fanny. "I didn't care
anything about infants' wear, or Haynes-Cooper, or anything.