"Three vases," said Ida joyfully. "Couple of southern millionaires are getting quite demonstrative over little me. What's up?... Going to coax the Kitty?" she added,--meaning in Salamanderish, "Are you going to encourage him to make presents?" "Must raise something on this confounded rent," said Doré briefly. "Then, there are other reasons." As Ida went tripping off, her little white ankles gleaming, Winona entered with two jars of chrysanthemums which she placed, one on the table and one on the mantel, slowly, frowning. Then she turned and said, with a gesture like a blow: "Do, I took it! I had to!" "Took what?" Said Doré, startled. "Joe's fifty!" Doré sprang precipitately to the drawer and opened it. "Winona, you--you didn't!" "It was that or get out!" said Winona doggedly, her back against the wall. "The Duchess made a scene. I'll pay it back--sure!" "But, Winona, what am I to do? Joe's coming. I must--I have to return it to him. What can I say?" said Doré in dismay, staring at the empty drawer. "You had no right! You should have asked me. I can't--oh, you've put me in an awful hole! It wasn't right!" "Don't! Dodo--don't!" The girl clasped her hands, extending them in supplication, and burst into tears. Doré could not resist the spectacle of this misery. She sprang to her side, seizing her in her arms, all her anger gone. "Never mind! I don't care! You poor child! It isn't the money--it isn't that! I'll find some way." All at once she remembered the hundred dollars of Sassoon's bouquet. "Stupid! Why, of course!" She recounted hastily the incident to Winona, smoothing her hair. "But, Do, you can't take it. How can you?" said Winona, becoming more calm. "Why not? It was a present to each." "But what can you say to Sassoon?" "Him? Let me alone; I'll invent something--he'll never know! Bah! I shall miss a fine scene, that's all!" she added with a dramatic regret. "Well, that's over! How much did you use?" "Thirty-five." "Keep the rest!" "I'll pay." "Bur-r--shut up! I'm not lending. Borrowing breaks up friendships. It's yours--it's given!" She looked at the distressed girl a moment and added apprehensively: "Winona, you're losing your grip!" "Losing? It's gone!" "Decidedly, I must see Blainey this afternoon and get that job for you," said Doré pensively. She disliked these sudden bleak apparitions and hated long to consider them. "You'll see in a few days, all will be changed--all!" Ida returned with long-stemmed chrysanthemums towering over her brown curls, and made a second trip for some hydrangeas which she had found at Estelle Monks' below. The room had now quite the effect of a conservatory. "Why don't you work the birthday gag?" said Winona helpfully. "Can't! November's my month for Joe," said Doré reluctantly. Birthdays, needless to say, are legitimate perquisites in Salamanderland, and pretty certain to occur in the first or second months of each new acquaintance.