"
"In what?" asked Margaret innocently, emptying the hot water from
her cup.
"In the story of your engagement, dear," said her mother.
"Oh, yes, there is," replied Margaret with a smiling lift of her
brows. "It's quite true." Then, suddenly drawing herself up, she
wheeled on Grant with a frown as terrible as her grandmother's
own. "Be off!" she said imperiously.
Arkwright literally shrank from the room. As he reached the door
he saw her shiver and heard her mutter, "Reptile!"
CHAPTER XI
MADAM BOWKER HEARS THE NEWS
In the midst of profound hush Madam Bowker was charging her heavy
artillery, to train it upon and demolish the engagement certainly,
and probably Margaret, too. Just as she was about to open fire
callers were ushered in. As luck had it they were the three
Stillwater girls, hastily made-over Westerners, dressed with great
show of fashion in what purported to be imported French hats and
gowns. An expert eye, however, would instantly have pierced the
secret of this formidable array of plumes and furbelows. The
Stillwaters fancied they had exquisite taste and real genius in
the art of dress. Those hats were made at home, were adaptations
of the imported hats--adaptations of the kind that "see" the
original and "go it a few better.
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