"Who sold them to you?" asked Mrs. Duncan.
Bessie pointed out the person, and Mrs. Duncan went to speak to him. Her little nieces looked after her with anxious eyes, fearing lest they might have made some mistake, and that their new treasures would be taken from them, and Bessie ran up just in time to hear the gentleman say, with a laugh, "Surely, I may put what price I please upon the articles I have for sale."
Mrs. Duncan laughed, too, and said, "Yes, certainly, but—"
"I assure you, I have been amply paid, madam," said the gentleman, "and I beg you will consider the matter settled. It is all right, little one," laying his hand on Bessie's head as she looked up at him; "you have made no mistake;" and then taking the paper-weight and picture, he wrapped them in paper and returned them to the children.
From this store they went to another, where they were a long time choosing the ribbon for their book-marks, while Aunt Helen and Annie waited with wonderful patience till they had decided this important question. Here, also, a pincushion was bought for nurse, and an emery-bag for Jane. Then Maggie, coming back from a show-case, about which she had been spying, begged Aunt Annie to go to the other end of the store, and on no account to turn her head. Aunt Helen was taken to the case, and a box was pointed out which Maggie thought would be the very thing for a ribbon-box.
"But you cannot buy that, dear," said Mrs. Duncan; "it is too expensive."
"Oh, no, Aunt Helen! it is marked five cents,—just see," said Maggie.
"My poor pet, that is five dollars, not five cents."
This was a great disappointment, for Maggie had quite set her heart on the box; but, of course, she and Bessie could not give five dollars, since they had not the half of that to spend.