They were now in front of the stationer's show-window, and there were few people in the quiet thoroughfare to jostle them. Medora smiled. "How clever; how charming!" she said. "Leaving you altogether free to pick your own age. I hope you didn't go beyond thirty-five. You must have been quite charming in your early thirties." "That's kind of you, I'm sure; but I don't believe that I was ever 'charming' at _any_ age. I think you've used that word once too often. I was a quiet, studious lad, with nice notions, but possibly something of a prig. I was less 'charming' than correct. The young ladies had the greatest confidence in me,--not one of them was ever 'afraid'." "Why, how horrid! How utterly unsatisfactory! Nor their mothers?" "No. And I'm still single, as you're advised. And I'm not sure that the young gentlemen cared much more for me. If I had had a little more 'gimp' and _verve_, I might have equalled the particular young gentleman of whom we have been discoursing. But...." His obviously artificial style of speech concealed, as she guessed, some real feeling. "Oh, if you insist on disparaging yourself...!" "I was quite as coolly correct as I apprehend him to be; and if I could only have contrived to compass the charming, as well, who knows what----?" "You don't like my word. Is there a better, a more suitable?" "No. You have the _mot juste_." He threw a finger through the wide pane of glass. "Is that the sort of thing you are after? Those boxes of pale gray are rather good." "I never buy from the show-window. Come in, and help me choose." "I love to shop," he said, in a mock ecstasy. "With others," he added. "I like to follow money in--and to contribute taste and experience." Over the stationer's counter she said: "Save Sunday. We are going out to the sand-hills." "Thank you. Very well. Most glad to." "And you are to bring him." "Him?" "Bertram Cope." "Why, I've given him six hours within two or three days. And now you're asking me to give him sixteen." "Sixteen--or more. But you're not giving them to him. You're giving them to all of us. You're giving them to me. The day is likely to be fine and settled, and I'd recommend your catching the 8:30 train. I shall have my full load in the car. And more, if I have to take along Helga. Try to reach us by one, or a quarter past."