“Thank you, Cleve,” replied Palma, laughing; “but I shall take Poley. She will be a better judge of what I need than any of our fine lady friends.” “Well, perhaps you are right,” admitted Stuart, and the discussion ended. When Mrs. Pole had cleared away the table and taken her own luncheon Palma invited her to go on a shopping expedition; and they put on their bonnets and outer garments and started. Palma’s was only the plush jacket that belonged to her cashmere suit, and she shivered so much as she walked that Mrs. Pole said: “The very first thing that you must buy must be a heavy cloth coat. You can get one for twenty dollars. I should prefer a Scotch plaid shawl, but young people don’t wear such things now, only neat-fitting coats, or sacques, or dolmans.” They went down on Broadway and into store after store, trying where they could find at once the cheapest and the best. At length Palma was suited with a close-fitting heavy cloth coat that not only satisfied herself but also Mrs. Pole. “Now, then, as you like it so well, keep it on, child, and have your plush jacket done up in a parcel and I will take it home,” said the good woman. And this was done. But then they went to the suit department, where Palma selected an olive-green pressed flannel dress for herself, and had to take off her coat to try it on. Then she bought a beaver bonnet and a leather hand-bag, and her shopping was complete. Mrs. Pole, who had saved up the wages she had received, bought a very heavy tartan shawl, two pairs of thick yarn stockings, a pair of stout goat-skin boots, a pair of warm woolen gloves, and a thick green berege veil, and felt herself provided for defense against the winter on the mountain farm. When they reached home they found Stuart waiting for them. He said: “Pray do not trouble to get dinner this evening, as we can dine at the hotel where we are to spend the night.” “I am very glad of that, on Poley’s account for she is very tired. She insisted on bringing home all our purchases herself, and just look how she has loaded herself down!” said Palma, laughing, though, in fact, the two heaviest items of the purchases, namely, Palma’s beaver cloth coat and Poley’s tartan shawl, were worn home on the shoulders of the respective owners. “But I must beg you to pack up as soon as possible, and I will help you, if you will show me how,” he answered. “That would be an awful hindrance, sir! Just let me get my breath for a minute and I’ll be all right. I am not tired one bit. And we’ll get through the packing in a jiffy! It’s very easy to move when there’s no furnitur’, and nothing but one’s clothes and things to pack,” said Mrs. Pole, sitting down on the first chair, dropping her bundles on the floor, and untying the broad plaid ribbon strings of her big black straw bonnet. She kept her word, for in five minutes she was on her feet again, and in less than an hour the trunks were packed, locked and strapped.