"Now, Aneta," said her aunt as the carriage rolled away, "I have gone through enough in your service for one day."
"You haven't been at all nice, auntie," said Aneta; "but perhaps you will be better when you get to the shop."
"Auntie, just think, once and for all, that you are doing a very philanthropic act, and that you are helping me, whom you love so dearly."
"Of course I love you, Aneta. Are you not as my own precious child?"
"Well, now, I want you to buy no end of things at Martin's shop."
"Buy things! Good gracious, child, at a grocer's shop! But I get all my groceries at the Stores, and the housekeeper attends to my orders."
"Well, anyhow, spend from five to ten pounds at Martin's to-day. You can get tea made up in half-pound packets and give it away wholesale to your poor women. Christmas is coming on, and they will appreciate good tea, no matter where it has been bought from."
"Well, you may go in and give the order," said Lady Lysle; "but I won't see that grocer. I will sit in the carriage and wait for you."
Aneta considered for a few minutes, and then said in a sad voice, "Very well."
Lady Lysle looked at her once or twice during the long drive which followed. Aneta's little face was rather pale, but her eyes were full of subdued fire. She was determined to carry the day at any cost.
James Martin abhorred the aristocracy--so he said. Nevertheless, he greatly admired his elegant wife in her faded beauty. He liked to hear her speak, and he made some effort to copy her "genteel pronunciation." He also, in his inmost heart, admired Maggie as a girl of spirit, although not a beautiful one. He had his own ideas with regard to female loveliness, and, like all men, was impressed and attracted by it.
On this special foggy day, as he was standing behind his counter busily engaged attending to a customer who was only requiring a small order to be made up, he gave a visible start, raised his eyes, dropped his account-book, let his pencil roll on to the floor, and stared straight before him. For somebody was coming into the shop--somebody so very beautiful that his eyes were dazzled and, as he said afterwards, his heart melted within him. A radiant-looking girl, with wonderful blue eyes and hair of the color of pure gold, a girl with a refined face--most beautifully dressed--although Martin could not quite make out in what fashion she was apparelled--came quickly up to the counter and then stood still, waiting for some one to attend to her. The other men in the shop also saw this lovely vision, and an attendant of the name of Turtle sprang forward to ask what he could do.