"Aunt Caroline might find some old lace or embroidery that she'd like, but for my own part I am disappointed. However, we've seen the Rag Fair, and we can cross that off our list of sights."
Leaving the Fair and the voluble merchants, after a walk of a block or two Marion suggested that they go home by trolley. This pleased Irma, who had not yet ridden in the Roman cars.
When the conductor came for their fare, Marion gave a cry of surprise.
"What is it?" asked Irma.
"Well, it's worse than ridiculous. I have lost my purse. My last small piece of money was the silver bit I gave to the girl on the Spanish Steps. I know I had my purse then."
While they were talking Irma put her own little purse in Marion's hand, and he paid their fare.
"Let us go back to the Rag Fair," she said. "Some one there must have taken it. You know how they were jostling us."
"There'd be no good in going back. The person who took it would hardly return it. Besides there wasn't much in it, not more than two hundred liri."
"Two hundred liri, forty dollars." Irma rapidly transferred the sum to American money. Why, that was more than she had brought from home as extra spending money and for little gifts, and Marion could say it was nothing.