This delay was extremely inconvenient, as Mrs. Allerton and her daughters were absolutely very much in need of the coats; yet there was no remedy but patience. At the appointed time, two of the girls went to bring home the silk, but were told by a small-featured, mild-spoken Quaker woman, employed to attend the customers, that "the things were dyed but not yet dressed."
"Will they be finished by to-morrow afternoon?" asked Isabella.
"I rather think they will not."
"By Saturday, then?"
"It's likely they will."
On Saturday, the girls went again. Still the articles, though dyed, were not yet dressed: but they were promised for Tuesday—if nothing happened to prevent.
Every few days, for near a fortnight, some of the Allerton family repaired to the dyer's (and it was a very long walk) but without any success—the things, though always dyed, were never dressed. And when they expressed their disappointment, the Quaker woman regularly told them: "Thee knows I did not say positive—we should never be too certain of anything."
Finally, the silk was acknowledged to be dressed, and it was produced and paid for; but the crape shawl was missing. A search was made for it, but in vain; still the woman assured them that it could not be lost, as nothing ever was lost in James Copperas's house, adding: "I partly promise thee, that if I live, I will find it for thee by to-morrow."
Next day, when she had done sewing, little Louisa went again for the shawl. The woman now confessed that she had not been able to find it, and said to Louisa: "I think, child, I would not advise thee to trouble thyself to come after it again. It seems a pity to wear out thy shoes too much. One should not be too certain of anything in this life, and therefore I am not free to say that thy shawl is lost; but it seems to me likely that it will never be found."
"My mother will be sorry," said Louisa, "for she really wants the shawl, and will regret to lose it."