"You see," she said, in wheedling, saleslady tones, "it is a work of art! _Ma foi_! but it is _chic_! _n'est-ce pas_? Excuse my fearful French, but I can't sell this Parisian rig in English!" "It is just darling!" declared the lady who was looking at it. "Of course I'll take it. I never saw one I liked so well." Farnsworth stood watching the scene, thinking how much Patty's winning personality added to the charm of the robe, and wondering if she would accept the books he had bought for her. The sale concluded, Patty thanked her patron, and in a moment was called upon to repeat the performance, as indeed she had been doing most of the evening. This time it was not so willing a buyer. A gaunt, elderly spinster, with elaborately coiffed white hair and ostentatious costume, demanded a kimono that should be just her style and of embroidered crepe de chine. "Here is a lovely one in heliotrope," said Patty, smiling as she brought one of the prettiest ones she had. "Heliotrope!" the lady almost screamed. "Do I then look so old? Am I in the sere and yellow? Why do you offer me heliotrope?" "Oh, don't you care for it?" said Patty, pleasantly; "it's one of my favourite colours. What colour do you like best?" "I like amber, but, of course, you wouldn't have that. Green, now?" "No, we don't seem to have those. We've mostly pink and blue." "Old-fashioned! Why don't you have amber or russet?" "I wish we had. I'd love to give you what you want. How about white?" "Namby pamby! But show me what you have. I'm determined to get something." "If you only cared for blue," and Patty sighed. "Here's a new box yet unopened, but it says on the end, 'Light Blue.' So that wouldn't do." "Oh, well, let me see it." Patty opened the Japanese looking box, and out from the tissue papers fell a dream of a kimono. Of palest blue silk, it was covered with embroidered apple blossoms, not in a set design, but powdered over it, as if wafted there by a summer breeze. The conventional Japanese flowers are cherry blooms, but these were true apple blossoms, softly pink and white, the very loveliest gown Patty had ever seen. Farnsworth was looking on, and he, too, caught sight of the exquisite design. He looked quickly at Patty, and, in dumb show, begged her not to sell the garment. Nor had she any intention of doing so. The moment she saw it, she wanted it for herself, and began hastily to fold it back in its box. "Wait! Stop!" cried the lady; "I think I want that." "It's already sold," said Big Bill, stepping forward. "Isn't that the one I ordered, Miss Fairfield?" "Is it?" said Patty, helplessly, wanting to laugh at the way the lady looked daggers at Bill, yet not knowing quite what to say. "It is. Kindly lay it aside for me. Mark it Farnsworth." "Do nothing of the sort!" snapped the lady. "You said that was an unopened box. It can't belong to any one then. I will take it. How much is it?"