Mrs. Carter blushed and fanned herself nervously.
“It isn’t my idea, Carter; I found it in a magazine story, and remembered it because it was so original.”
“Let that go. If the girl was like a sunbeam, she’d never get into our house, for fear of spoiling the carpets. You’d be the first to shut her out, old woman!”
“Old woman! I don’t like that, Carter. Look at me with your own eyes, from head to foot, and say if you are not ashamed of yourself?”
“Look at you? Well, I’m a doing it; but what on earth have you done with all them things from Ball & Black’s? So far, I haven’t seen nothing but the bills. I thought you wanted to cut a shine with them to-night.”
“Well, so I did, but Ross thought I’d better not. You know, Carter, that beauty unadorned looks better than overloading.”
“Oh!” said Carter, “at the magazines again.”
“Ross thinks so, at any rate, so I made myself simple but elegant. Don’t you think so?”
“Well, I don’t know about that, Rebecca, but you’re an all-fired good-looking woman, any how!”
“Oh, Mr. Carter! all-fired, and just as people are coming.”