The Berwick girls were a little awed at the atmosphere of the place, but Alicia was entirely mistress of the situation. She had many costumes and accessories shown to her, and soon became as deeply absorbed in their contemplation as Dolly had been in the Museum exhibits.
"Why, for goodness' sake!" cried Bernice, at last. "Are you going to buy out the whole shop, Alicia?"
"Why, I'm not going to buy any," returned Alicia, looking surprised;
"I'm just shopping, you know."
"Oh, is that it? Well, let me tell you it isn't any particular fun for us to look on while you 'shop'! And, anyway, it's time to be going home, or we'll be late for the luncheon and for the matinee."
"All right, I'll go now. But wait. I want to buy some little thing for you girls,—sort of a souvenir, you know."
"Good for you!" said Bernice, but Dolly demurred.
"I don't think you ought to, Alicia," she said. "I don't believe my mother would like me to take it."
"Nonsense, Towhead! I'm just going to get trifles. Nobody could object to my giving you a tiny token of my regard and esteem. Let me see,—how about silk sweaters? They're always handy to have in the house."
Unheeding the girls' protestations, Alicia selected four lovely colours, and asked the saleswoman to get the right sizes.
Dolly's was robin's egg blue; Dotty's salmon pink; Bernice's, a deep orange, and Alicia's own was white, as she declared she already had every colour of the rainbow.