"I shall never get it dry for the dance to-night," she complained.
"I wish I could help you," said I.
"Perhaps you've got a hairpin or two about you!" said she, with a glance that had certainly done great execution before now.
I disclaimed the possession of any such tokens, but volunteered to go and look for some at a neighbouring cottage.
The cottage door was shut, and my knockings were answered by a stupefied-looking elderly man. Conscious of my own absurdity, I asked him if he had any hairpins.
"I didn't see a hare this week!" he responded in a slow bellow.
"Hairpins!" I roared; "has your wife any hairpins?"
"She has not." Then, as an after-thought, "She's dead these ten years."
At this point a young woman emerged from the cottage, and, with many coy grins, plucked from her own head some half-dozen hairpins, crooked, and grey with age, but still hairpins, and as such well worth my shilling. I returned with my spoil to Miss Bennett, only to be confronted with a fresh difficulty. The arm that she had strained was too stiff to raise to her head.
Miss Bobbie turned her handsome eyes upon me. "It's no use," she said plaintively, "I can't do it!"