CHAPTER XXI.

Dorothy came in the next morning soon after breakfast, looking cheerful and bright.

"You two girls are to come to our house directly after shutting up here," she said. "I arranged it all with your uncles last evening--that is Aunt Sarah and I; we both want you, and so do uncle and the boys.

They say you have hardly been there to make any stay at all, Ethel, and that it is Blanche's old home; so of course you ought both to come, and we have coaxed Uncle Albert to consent. You see I told him I wanted to help with your sewing and that you could run in to have a talk with him in the evenings, or he come into our house; and as he couldn't see much of you at any other time--being down at his store all day--he finally gave up with pretty good grace and said I might have it my own way. I am sure it is only right that I should, for I really care more about you than any of his girls do. Now tell me honestly wouldn't you be as willing to spend those last weeks with us as with them?"

"Well," returned Ethel with a smile, "I cannot deny that I should. I do not know which of my uncles I love best; and you, Dorothy, are more congenial and seem to care more for us than Uncle Albert's daughters. So I am well pleased with the arrangement you propose. It is very kind in you to offer your help with our sewing too."

"Yes, indeed," said Blanche. "You are more like an own cousin to us than any one of the girls in the other house; and I'm very fond of Uncle George and his boys; of Aunt Sarah too, for she has been really kind to us for years."

"Then you'll come to us?"

"Yes, gladly," returned both girls, Blanche adding, "I am sure it will be the best and pleasantest plan that could be thought of; especially as we can see about as much of Uncle Albert as if we were spending our days and nights in his house."

"Good girls!" said Dorothy. "And you'll let me help with your shopping, won't you?" A glad a.s.sent was given to that, for Dorothy was an excellent shopper, and Ethel and Blanche felt that to have her taste and judgment to rely upon would be a great help to them. They said as much, and Dorothy looked highly pleased.

They were in the back part of the store, Blanche running the sewing-machine while Ethel busied herself with a bit of needlework, for no customer was in at the moment.

"I don't think I have seen all you have been at work upon for your wedding outfits," said Dorothy.

"No," replied both girls, "we have not shown you nearly all," Blanche adding, "You take her upstairs and show her both yours and mine, Ethel.

I will stay here to attend to any customer who may happen to come in."

"No, sister," said Ethel, "it would hardly be fair for me to have all that pleasure, leaving you to do all the work. I will show my own, then come down and let you go up and exhibit yours."

"Very well," laughed Blanche, "anything to please you, sister mine."

Then to Dorothy, "Isn't she the most unselfish, girl you ever saw?"

"I never saw one who had less selfishness in her, and I think Percy Landreth a most fortunate fellow," replied Dorothy, giving Ethel a look of mingled admiration and affection.

"And I think I am the fortunate one," Ethel said with a joyous smile.

"Percy Landreth is no common man, and how he came to fancy me pa.s.ses my comprehension."

"Ah, there is no accounting for tastes, my dear," laughed Dorothy as they left the room together. "Ah, what lovely work!" she exclaimed as Ethel took garment after garment from a bureau drawer and spread them about on the bed, for her inspection. "You must have been very industrious to have accomplished so much in so short a time."

"No," said Ethel, "some of it was done months ago and intended for sale."

"Oh, yes; before your engagement?"

"Yes; you see I had no other employment for my fingers while chatting with Mrs. Landreth and the others in Mrs. Keith's parlor or on the porches during the day. Of course in the evening, after sundown, we all gave our eyes and fingers a rest."

"But not ears and tongues, I presume," laughed Dorothy. "Well, it seems there will hardly need to be much more sewing done except on the dresses. The shopping for them will be very enjoyable, I think; for I dearly love to look at pretty things. Suppose we make a beginning this afternoon. The uncles will supply the needed money if we go down to the office for it. Indeed we can buy a good deal from them, telling them they are to let us have the goods at wholesale prices; and if they object that they are not retailers, we will consent to take them in wholesale quant.i.ties."

"That might do very well," Ethel said with a smile, "if you will engage to be bridesmaid and wear a dress off the same piece with Blanche's and mine."

"No objection in the world to that, if Blanche agrees to it," said Dorothy. "But what a pity your uncles haven't kept the kind of goods you sell! It might have been such a help to you. Now please run down and send Blanche up to show me her pretty things. After that, if you like, we will start out on our expedition."

Ethel did as requested. Blanche's garments were displayed, and received as high commendation as those of her sister; then Ethel dressed for the street, and she and Dorothy started out for the proposed call upon the uncles, and the shopping that was to follow.

"Ah, young ladies, how do you do? Whatever may have brought you, I am pleased to see your bonny faces," was Mr. George Eldon's greeting as they entered his office, where they found him alone, his brother having gone out on some errand connected with their business. "Sit down and tell me your errand; for I presume you have one."

"Yes, uncle, we are out shopping for wedding dresses," returned Dorothy laughingly.

"And want some money, I suppose," he said, turning to his desk.

"Yes, sir, or goods; we would be willing to take a whole piece of white silk or satin at wholesale price, if you will let us have it out of your store and provide the money to pay for it."

"Would you, indeed?" he asked with a grim smile. "Well, perhaps I might as well close at once with so good and desirable an offer as that--really such an one I never had before. Come along, both of you, into the store and we will see what we can find."

He showed them the goods himself, looking gratified with the delight they manifested in gazing upon them, commenting upon their beauties, exclaiming again and again, "Oh, how lovely! What a beautiful dress might be made of that!" "Oh, that is fit for a queen!"

"Well, Ethel, which will you have?" he asked at length.

"Oh, uncle," she said, "I fear they are all too beautiful and expensive for me; something not so----"

"Whichever you choose is to go at wholesale price, remember," he said, not allowing her to finish her sentence, "and your uncles are to settle the bill, so take whichever you prefer without reference to the price."

"Oh, uncle, you are too good and kind!" she said, her eyes filling with tears of grat.i.tude.

"Not a bit, my dear," he returned in kindest tones. "But choose quickly, for my time is precious. How would this answer?" indicating a beautiful grosgrain silk. "I think it contains about three dress patterns and would make up prettily for you, your sister, and Dorothy here. Will it suit you both?"

"Yes, sir; oh, yes! It is only too lovely, too costly for--for me."

"Not a bit of it!" cried Dorothy, "though it may be for me, as I am to be only a bridesmaid."

"In that case you can lay it aside for use when you become a bride yourself," said Mr. Eldon. "Here, Smith," to one of the clerks, "take charge of this package and see that it is sent up to my house some time in the course of the day. Now, young ladies," leading the way to another part of the store, where he showed them some beautiful laces, saying, "Select whichever you like best for tr.i.m.m.i.n.g the dresses and bridal veils."

"Oh, uncle, it is too much!" exclaimed Ethel humbly. "It would be lovely, but we can do very well without such things."

"Yes," he said, "I presume the knots could be tied just as tight without any such adornment for the brides, but I must acknowledge that I shall take some pride and pleasure in seeing my nieces suitably adorned for their bridal. Nor am I going to ruin myself doing it. I have no daughters of my own, you know, so may well afford it for you and Blanche; Dorothy, also, when her turn comes."

"Thank you, uncle," laughed Dorothy, "but I am doubtful of ever wanting bridal attire; good men and true are so scarce, you know--out of the family, I mean, of course--but I am exceedingly obliged for the bridesmaid's dress you have so generously bestowed upon me."

"You are most welcome," he replied. "Will you take the lace with you? or shall I send it with the dress goods?"

"Oh, I will carry it myself if you'll let me," said Dorothy. "Blanche must see it, and I promise to take the best possible care of it."

"Very well," he returned. "We will go back to the office now, for I must give you some money to do such shopping as must needs be done elsewhere."

"I feel as if I were really in danger of impoverishing you, uncle, dear," said Ethel as he put a roll of banknotes in her hand.

"Not at all, as you don't marry every day," he said laughingly. "In that case it might do some damage. I wish you success with your shopping, and shall be glad to see you, Blanche, and Harry too whenever you see fit to close out your business and come to make your home with us until you want to change for the western one in prospect before you. Your Aunt Sarah and I are both ready to give you a warm welcome."

"Dear uncle," Ethel said with emotion, "you could scarcely be kinder to us if we were your own daughters."

"I almost wish you were," he returned, "though that would make it all the harder to part with you for the benefit of those young men from the West. Good-by now for the present, and I wish you success with your shopping. Give my love to your sister, and tell her I hope the silk and lace will be suited to her taste."

"O Dorothy, isn't he kind? whose uncles are better than ours?" exclaimed Ethel as they walked up the street.