Dinah went on writing in silence, knowing that words were useless in the present instance. When her mother had gone out of the room she produced a small case from her pocket, and, opening it, disclosed a pretty pearl and diamond ring, which she slipped on her finger. It was not half as valuable as Celia’s had been, but Dinah was quite satisfied with it, and wore it with a sense of proud possession. Her lover was at present away on business in the north of England, but she heard from him nearly every day. He always addressed his letters to the care of the Brookes, next door--Harold very kindly handing them to her over the garden-wall,--so her mother had not the slightest idea that the two refractory young people were carrying on such an ardent correspondence. As soon as his engagement with Celia Franks was broken off, David had gone to Dinah for consolation; and the merry dark-eyed girl had responded to his attentions with a spontaneity that was quite refreshing. She had always been fond of him, even when she had snubbed him so cruelly, and, now that he was free, she did not hesitate to tell him so. Before he went away, he proposed to her, and gave her the ring; but on account of the opposition of her parents, they decided to keep their engagement strictly private for the present. Dinah, however, was not quite happy about it. The prospect of being engaged for an indefinite period did not please her--it was too vague. One thing was certain, they could not get married without Mr. and Mrs. Friedberg’s consent, for to do so would mean the loss of the dowry and wedding-presents. It was a very mundane reason; but it had to be considered, for they could not possibly afford to dispense with such matrimonial perquisites. Whilst David was away, Dinah was struck with an idea. She would try to enlist the sympathy of her brother-in-law, Mike Rosen, who was her lover’s employer, and see what good that would do. So she waited for an opportunity; and one morning, when her mother had gone to Lottie’s house in Canonbury for the day, jumped on an omnibus for the city. She hoped Mike would not mind her going to see him at his place of business, but she knew that if she went to Fitzjohn’s Avenue, Adeline was sure to be there, and she wanted to see him alone. The Acme Furnishing Company’s premises were situated in the neighbourhood of Tottenham Court Road. Dinah found them with little difficulty, for, by dint of extensive advertising, they were well-known. She stood outside and surveyed the well-stocked windows with admiration. Each window represented a bedroom or sitting-room in miniature, fitted with all the latest improvements in the furnishing line. Mike Rosen must be very rich to be the owner of such a magnificent establishment, she thought.