It may have been that Miss Marcy was piqued into trying to see how little
she could spend, but certain it was that from the time she left the carpet
shop she begged for no exceptions to Mr. Robeson's rule of strict economy.
She selected simple, delicate muslins for the windows, one and all,
without a glance at finer draperies; bought denims and printed stuffs as
if she had never heard of costlier upholsteries; and turned away from
seductive pieces of Turkish and Indian embroideries offered for her
inspection with a demure, "No, I don't care to look at those now," which
more than once brought a covert smile to Anthony's lips and a twinkle to
the eyes of the salesman. It was so very evident that the fair buyer did
not pass them by for lack of interest.
Altogether, it was an interesting week these three people spent--for a
week it took. Anthony began to protest after the first two days, and said
he could not ask so much of his friends. But Juliet would not be hindered
from taking infinite pains, and Mrs. Dingley good humouredly lent the two
her chaperonage and her occasional counsel, such as only the gray-haired
matron of long housewifely experience can furnish.
The selection of the furniture took perhaps the most time, and was the
hardest, because of the difficulty of finding good styles in keeping with
the limited purse. Anthony possessed a number of good pieces of antique
character, but beyond these everything was to be purchased. Juliet turned
in despair from one shop after another, and when it came to the fitting of
the dining-room she grew distinctly indignant.
"It's a perfect shame," she said, "that they can't offer really good
designs in the cheap things. Did you ever see anything so hideous? Tony,
if I were you I'd rather eat my breakfast off one of those white kitchen
tables--or----"
She broke off suddenly, rushed away down the long room to a group of
chastely elegant dining-room furniture and came back after a little with a
face of great eagerness to drag her companions away with her. She took
them to survey a set of the costliest of all.
"Have you gone crazy?" Anthony inquired.
"Not at all. Tony, just study that table. It's massive, but it's
simple--simple as beauty always is. Look at those perfectly straight
legs--what clever cabinet maker couldn't copy that in--in ash, Tony? Then
there are stains--I've heard of them--that rub into wood and then finish
in some way so it's smooth and satiny. You could do that--I'm sure you
could. Then you'd get the lovely big top you want. And the chairs--do you
see the plain, solid-looking things? I know they could be made this way.
Then the dining-room would be simply dear!"
* * * * *
"Juliet, you're coming on," declared Anthony with satisfaction that
evening as the two, back at the Marcy country place, strolled slowly over
the lawn toward the river edge. "At this rate you'll do for a poor man's
wife yourself some day. That frock you have on now--isn't that a sort of
concession to the humble company you're in?"
"In what way?" Juliet glanced down at the pale-green gown whose delicate
skirts she was daintily lifting, and in which she looked like a flower in
its calyx. She had rejoiced to exchange the dusty dress in which she had
come home from town for this, which suggested coolness in each fresh
fold.
"Why, it strikes me as about the simplest dress I ever saw you wear. Isn't
it really--well--the least expensive thing you have had in that line in
some time?"
The amused laugh with which this observation was greeted might have been
disconcerting to anybody but Anthony Robeson, but he maintained his ground
with calmness.
"How many of these do you think you can furnish Mrs. Anthony with in a
year?" Juliet inquired, her lips forcing themselves to soberness, but the
laughter lingering in her eyes.
"Several, as girlishly demure as that, I fancy," asserted the young man
with confidence.
But Juliet's momentary gravity broke down. "Oh, you clever boy!" she said.
"I shall advise Mrs. Anthony to send you shopping for her when she needs a
new frock. You will order home just what she wants without stopping to ask
the price, you will be so confident that you know a cheap thing when you
see it. Afterward you will pay the bill--and then the awful frown on your
brow! You will have to live on bread and milk for a month to get your
accounts straightened out. Oh, Tony!--No, I shouldn't do for a poor man's
wife--not judging by this 'girlishly demure' gown, you poor lamb.--But,
Tony," with a swift change of manner, "I do think the little house will be
very charming indeed. I can hardly wait to know that the painting and
papering are done, so that we can go down and get things in order. I long
to arrange those fascinating new tin things in that bit of a cupboard.
Tony"--turning to him solemnly--"does _she_ know how to cook?"
"I think she is learning now," he assured her. "Seems to me she mentioned
it in to-day's----" He fumbled in his breast-pocket and brought out a
letter.
Juliet stole an interested glance at it. She observed that there were
three closely written sheets of the heavy linen paper, and that the
handwriting was one suggestive of a pleasing individuality. Anthony, in
the dim twilight, was scanning page after page in a lover's absorbed way.
Juliet walked along by his side in silence. She was thinking of the face
in the photograph, and wondering if Miss Eleanor Langham really loved
Anthony Robeson as he deserved to be loved.
"For he is a dear, dear fellow," she said to herself, "and if she could
just see him planning so enthusiastically for her comfort, even if he does
have to economise, she'd----"
"No, it's not in this letter," observed Anthony, putting the sheets
together with a lingering touch which did not escape his companion's quick
eyes. "It must have been in yesterday's."
"Does she write every day?"
"Did you ever hear of an engaged pair who didn't write every day?"
"It must take a good deal of your time," she remarked. "But, of course,
she can cook. Every sane girl takes a cooking-school course nowadays. It's
as essential as French."
"You did, then?"
"Of course. Don't you remember when I used to edify you with new and
wonderful dishes every time you dropped in to luncheon?"
"But did you learn the more important things?"
"I paid especial attention to soups, sir," laughed Juliet. "Now, if Mrs.
Anthony has done that you can live very economically."
"I'll suggest it to her," said Anthony gravely.