Richard came around to her side.  “Didn’t you expect to find it?” he inquired with interest.

“I really didn’t at all.  We seldom find summer goods shown in a town like this till spring is well along, least of all coloured dress linens.  But you have several shades, besides a beautiful lot of white.”

“That’s Carson’s buying,” said he, fingering a corner of the lilac-tinted goods she held up.  “I shouldn’t know it from gingham.  I didn’t know what gingham was till the other day.  But I can recognize it now on sight, and am no end proud of my knowledge.”

“I suppose you are familiar with silk,” said she with a quick glance.

He returned it.  “Aren’t you?”

“I’m not specially fond of it.”

“What fabrics do you like best?”

“Thin, sheer things, fine but durable.”

“Linens?”

“No, cottons, batistes, voiles—­that sort of thing.”

“I’m afraid you’ve got me now,” he owned, looking puzzled.  “Perhaps I’d know them if I saw them.  If Benson has any—­I mean, if we have any,” he amended quickly, “I’d like to have you see them.  Let me go and ask Carson.”

He was off to consult the man in the office and was back in a minute.  When Roberta had purchased the yard of lavender linen he led her into another aisle and requested the clerk to show her his finest goods.  Roberta looked on, much amused, while the display was made, and praised liberally.  But suddenly she pounced upon a piece of white material with a tiny white flower embroidered upon its delicate surface.

“That’s one of the prettiest pieces of Swiss muslin I ever saw,” said she.  “And at such a reasonable price.  It looks like one of the finest imported Swisses.  I’m going to have that pattern this minute.”

She gave the order without hesitation.

“I didn’t know women ever shopped like that,” said Richard in her ear.

“Like what?”

“Why, bought the thing right off without asking to see everything in the store.  That’s what—­I’ve been told they did.”

“Not if they’re wise—­when they see a thing like that.  There was only the one pattern.  Why, another woman might have walked up and said right over my shoulder that she would take it.”

“If she had I’d have seen that you got it,” declared Richard.

He accompanied the party to the door when they went; he saw them to the sleigh and tucked them in.

“Bareheaded again,” observed Uncle Rufus, regarding him with interest.

“Again?” queried Richard.

“All the young men we meet this morning insist on standing round outdoors with their hats off,” explained the elder man.  “It looks reckless to me.”

“It would be more reckless not to, I imagine,” returned Richard, laughing with Ruth and Roberta.

“We’ll see you to-night,” Uncle Rufus reminded him as he drove off.  “Bring Hugh with you.  I asked him in the store, but he seemed to hesitate.  It will do him good to get out.”