Mrs. Briskow gasped, she rolled her eyes and fanned herself; she
appealed to Allegheny, but it was evident that the latter had kept
her eyes open and had done some thinking, for she broke out,
passionately: "You make me sick, Ma! It'll take all Pa can
afford, and then some, to make us look like other people. I never
knew how plumb ridic'lous we are till--"

"Not that," Gray protested.

"You _know_ we're ridic'lous," she cried, fiercely. "We're a
couple of sow's ears and all Pa's royalties can't make us into
silk purses. But--mebbe we can manage to look like silk, if we
spend enough."

Gray determined that the girl should not be disappointed if he
could help it, so he went directly to the head saleswoman of the
first store, and asked her to assume the role of counselor where
circumstance compelled him to relinquish it, explaining that in
addition to hats, gowns, shoes, and the like, both Ma and Allie
needed a variety of confidential apparel with which he had only
the vaguest acquaintance. Although the woman agreed to his
request, he found before long that his trust in her had been
misplaced. Not only did she threaten to take advantage of her
customers' ignorance, but also, to Gray's anger, she displayed a
poorly veiled contempt for and amusement at his charges.

Allegheny was not long in feeling this. She had entered the
establishment aquiver with hope and anticipation. This was her
great adventure. She was like a timid child, enraptured at sight