Part 9 (1/2)

”They're all right for silly shopgirls and cheap persons,” she declared scornfully, ”but what a queen wants--oh, Rose, haven't you any linen, fine and sheer, hand-sewed and hand-hem-st.i.tched?”

And when Miss Rose Beacon of the lingerie had produced a special box in which was linen, soft and fine, and enriched with much dainty hand-work, she drew a long breath.

”There!” She pushed the cobwebby things towards Tessie. ”That's what queens wear!” She said it as positively as if she had dressed a queen every day of her life.

”But--” faltered Tessie, looking longingly at the flesh-colored satins and crepes.

”Half a dozen sets of these, Rose,” ordered Miss Morley. ”And as many gowns.”

”And half a dozen sets of the satin, too,” whispered Tessie, the minute Miss Morley turned her back. ”I've always wanted silk underclothes, and now I'm going to have some even if all queens don't wear them. I guess I can afford them!”

It was the same all through the store. Tessie found what she had coveted and sighed over was not proper for a queen. She had to buy flat-heeled broad-toed shoes for walking, instead of the narrow-toed high heels for which her soul yearned.

”High heels for dress, low heels for the street. Don't ever make the mistake of wearing high heels on the street, Miss Gilfooly,” advised Miss Morley. ”They'll make you look cheap and common.”

”No, ma'am,” Tessie murmured meekly, but she privately resolved to wear her high heels when and where she pleased. Miss Morley would not be with her always. And how could high heels make any girl look cheap and common? They looked expensive and fine to Tessie's big blue eyes.

Miss Morley would not let her wear lace stockings with her street shoes, but demanded a plain heavy silk. The dark blue crepe frock which was finally chosen to cover the dainty camisole and plain dark blue bloomers, was as simple as a frock could be, but it was a French model and it made Tessie a very different girl from the one who had worn the old black sateen.

”Now,” remarked Miss Morley when half a dozen frocks had been chosen, always the plainest and the simplest, ”we'll go up to the third and have your hair dressed.”

”I can do my own hair,” Tessie exclaimed eagerly. She was aghast at the amount of money she had spent. Who ever would suppose that such plain things would cost so much?

”I said dressed,” smiled Miss Morley. ”You can do your hair like the shopgirls,” she seemed to have a vast contempt for the way shopgirls dressed and did their hair, ”but what you want is a simple coiffure--something royal!”

She told the astonished head of the hairdressing department what she thought would be simple and royal, and she stood beside Tessie while Mrs. Nelson took the buns from Tessie's ears, and redressed her hair in simple waves. Tessie had pretty hair with a soft natural curl in it, and she had a well-shaped head, although she had very successfully concealed that fact with her buns and her rolls. But the clever professional fingers made the most of her wavy hair and of the shape of her head.

”There!” Miss Morley approved of the result if Tessie did look at it a bit doubtfully and wonder if it could be all right. ”Now for a manicure!”

When Miss Morley at last took Tessie down to show Mr. Kingley what could be done by the Evergreen, they met Mr. Bill on the threshold. He was trying to talk to Ka-kee-ta, who had reluctantly consented to wait for his queen in the office, and who only had grunts in answer to Mr. Bill's questions. Mr. Bill looked at Miss Morley and at Tessie. And he looked again at Tessie. _Was_ it Tessie? Tessie blushed and dimpled.

”Well, I'll be darned!” he exclaimed unbelievingly. ”If it isn't Queen Teresa! You certainly make one sweet peach of a queen!” He was quite scarlet and somewhat incoherent in his admiration.

”Clothes do make a difference, don't they, Mr. Bill?” asked Miss Morley, proud of what she had made of Tessie. ”She looks quite smart now, doesn't she? I've been working over her all morning.”

”Good work!” approved Mr. Bill. ”I'll say she looks all right!” And his hearty admiration deepened the color in Tessie's cheeks as well as in his own face. Imagine Mr. Bill saying that Tessie Gilfooly looked all right! No wonder Tessie's face was pink, and her eyes shone.

Mr. Kingley admired Tessie also and told Miss Morley that she had done well--remarkably well.

”I knew the Evergreen could outfit a woman for any position,” he said with great satisfaction. ”You selected other garments than what she is wearing?”

”You said to fit her out appropriately but not foolishly.” Miss Morley repeated the orders she had received. ”I have chosen a couple of afternoon frocks, dinner gowns and evening gowns and a little jersey and a serge for day wear.”

”And hats?” suggested Mr. Kingley. ”A queen can't wear her crown all the time.” And he laughed at his joke.

”And hats.” Miss Morley was polite enough and clever enough to laugh with him. ”And shoes and everything. She has a very complete little outfit.”

”That's good. That's very good. You might collect the gowns and hats, Miss Morley, and make a little exhibition of them to-morrow before they are delivered. Miss Gilfooly can wait a day longer for them, and our customers will be interested in a royal wardrobe. Have Miss Lee run a little story in the _Gazette_. It isn't every store,” he told them proudly, ”that could fit out a queen at a moment's notice. You arrange a little exhibition, Miss Morley, and we'll invite Waloo to come and see it. You'll like that, my dear,” he told Tessie, who was not sure that she would like it at all.

Joe Cary, bringing a message to Mr. Kingley from Mr. Maltby, the a.s.sistant advertising manager, who had been discharged from his jury, most certainly did not like it and he dared to say so.