"It would be so handy to me here that it seems a pity," she rejoined. "The spectacle of Mrs. Macleod hoeing turnips in a diamond necklace would be interesting, to say the least of it!"
"It would," he agreed. "But, apart from diamonds, I can give you a little money, dear. How much do you want?"
"Oh, a very little," she answered. "We'll plan Garth's presents together, of course; but I want to do something for 'Possum, Tom. 'Possum has been very good to us."
"I quite agree—she has done a great deal more than she has been paid for," Tom said heartily. "What do you want to give her?"
"I want to give her a pretty, dainty print frock," said Aileen, leaning her elbows on the table, and speaking rapidly, with shining eyes. "Not blue—she never wears anything but blue dungaree: pink, I think, with a little white collar and cuffs. And some simple pretty under-things and a petticoat to wear with it, and a pair of nice stockings and neat shoes, and a simple, pretty hat. Is that too much, Tom?"
"If you mentioned how much these glories would cost——" he began, laughing.
"Oh, very little. I'll make all the things myself, and the material will cost hardly anything. I have a hat that will do—she has never seen it: and the shoes and stockings will be very plain. Would about a pound for the whole be too much?"
"I'll give you thirty shillings," he said. "Then you can buy yourself chocolates with what is left. How about fitting her?"
"Oh, I can guess about the dress," Aileen answered. "And she can wear my size shoes, though you would never guess it to see her feet in those enormous boots. I made her put on one of my slippers the other day when she lost a boot in the creek, and we had to dry it after we had fished it up. And I saw her looking at her foot in my slipper with a kind of hungry expression in her eyes. She does love pretty things, Tom; I think one reason why she likes coming here is because I have them."
Tom laughed.