They arrived at Rocheford in about an hour, and there a silk of the palest shade of blue was chosen with soft French lace for trimming. Nina was absolutely open-mouthed with admiration as she saw the exquisite fabric being told off in yards by the shopman. After the dress was bought, Brenda purchased very pretty pink muslins for her pupils, and white hats which she meant to trim with cheap white muslin. They then went to a shoemaker's where they got shoes, and to another shop for gloves, and finally to interview that modiste of great fame, as Madame Declasse described herself. But here disappointment awaited the little girls, for Brenda insisted on entering the apartment all alone. "You, Fanchon," she said, "must hold the pony's reins. Don't hold them too tight--just like this; see, _mon enfant_--do attend to my directions. Now then, I shan't be very long." "But may not two of us come with you?" asked Josephine. "We should love to see the pretty things in Madame Declasse's show-room." "No, no; I must see her alone; she will do it cheaper for me if I am alone." Brenda skipped away, and the girls were left in charge of the dull, over-worked little pony with the western sun beating down upon them. They had certainly passed an exciting day, but, on the whole, they were not quite satisfied. There was a mutinous feeling in each small breast which only needed the match of suspicion to set it on fire. It was Nina who, in the most casual voice, applied that match. "I am looking at myself," she said, "in the mirror let into the pony trap just facing us; and I am awfully red." "Of course you are, Nina," laughed both her sisters. "My face is red," continued Nina, "and so is my hair; and my eyes are not at all big. Do you think I am really pretty, or am I ugly?" She gave an anxious glance at Josephine and Fanchon. "Ugly--of course," laughed Fanchon. "Very ugly--a little fright," said Josephine. "Then if I am a fright," said Nina, becoming a more vivid crimson, "so are you, too, for you are red also, and your hair is sandy, and you have very small eyes." "Oh, do shut up," said Fanchon. Nina turned restlessly on her hot seat. "I wish I was like Brenda," she said, after a minute's pause. "Well, you are not, and all the wishing in the world won't make you so," was Josephine's answer. "I suppose she is quite beautiful," said Fanchon, with a sigh. "Oh, yes--there isn't a doubt of it," continued Nina. "How the men do stare at her." "It's very rude of men to stare," said Josephine. "It is not at all to be admired." "But Brenda likes it, all the same," said Nina. "I know she does, for she nudges me sometimes as we are on the way to church. What a long time she is with Madame Declasse!" "Nina," said Fanchon, "if you don't sit still, you will startle Rob, and he may take it into his head to run away."