"I must save my strength for tomorrow," explained Mrs. Milo, and turned with that benevolent smile. The next moment she flung up her hands. "Susan!"
Sue halted. "Ah-ha-a-a-a!" she cried triumphantly. "I thought it'd surprise you, mother! Isn't it lovely? Isn't it beautiful? Isn't it an improvement over that old gray satin of mine?" She came back to stroll to and fro, parading. "As Ikey says, 'Ain't it peaches?'"
"Tum-tum-tee-tum," hummed Balcome, in an attempt at the wedding-march.
"Susan! Stop!" ordered Mrs. Milo. "Where, if you please, have you come by such a dress?"
Even Mrs. Balcome was listening, having forgotten her own troubles in the double interest of the promised quarrel and the attractive costume.
Sue arraigned Mr. Balcome with a finger. "Well, this nice person told
Hattie to order it for me from her dressmaker."
"To land that parson," added Balcome, wickedly.
"He gave me two," went on Sue, turning a chin over one shoulder in a vain attempt to get a glimpse of her back. "The other one is wonderful! I'm—I'm keeping the other one."
"'Keeping the other one'?" repeated her mother.
Sue tried the other shoulder. "Well, I—I might need it for something special," she explained.