“I know,” said Suzanne; “that is why it is so risky to be vague when one is giving indications of one’s wants.  Now if I say to him:  ’I am going out to Davos this winter, so anything in the travelling line would be acceptable,’ he might give me a dressing-bag with gold-mounted fittings, but, on the other hand, he might give me Baedeker’s Switzerland, or ‘Skiing without Tears,’ or something of that sort.”

“He would be more likely to say:  ’She’ll be going to lots of dances, a fan will be sure to be useful.’”

“Yes, and I’ve got tons of fans, so you see where the danger and anxiety lies.  Now if there is one thing more than another that I really urgently want it is furs.  I simply haven’t any.  I’m told that Davos is full of Russians, and they are sure to wear the most lovely sables and things.  To be among people who are smothered in furs when one hasn’t any oneself makes one want to break most of the Commandments.”

“If it’s furs that you’re out for,” said Eleanor, “you will have to superintend the choice of them in person.  You can’t be sure that your cousin knows the difference between silver-fox and ordinary squirrel.”

“There are some heavenly silver-fox stoles at Goliath and Mastodon’s,” said Suzanne, with a sigh; “if I could only inveigle Bertram into their building and take him for a stroll through the fur department!”

“He lives somewhere near there, doesn’t he?” said Eleanor.  “Do you know what his habits are?  Does he take a walk at any particular time of day?”

“He usually walks down to his club about three o’clock, if it’s a fine day.  That takes him right past Goliath and Mastodon’s.”

“Let us two meet him accidentally at the street corner to-morrow,” said Eleanor; “we can walk a little way with him, and with luck we ought to be able to side-track him into the shop.  You can say you want to get a hair-net or something.  When we’re safely there I can say:  ’I wish you’d tell me what you want for your birthday.’  Then you’ll have everything ready to hand—­the rich cousin, the fur department, and the topic of birthday presents.”

“It’s a great idea,” said Suzanne; “you really are a brick.  Come round to-morrow at twenty to three; don’t be late, we must carry out our ambush to the minute.”

At a few minutes to three the next afternoon the fur-trappers walked warily towards the selected corner.  In the near distance rose the colossal pile of Messrs. Goliath and Mastodon’s famed establishment.  The afternoon was brilliantly fine, exactly the sort of weather to tempt a gentleman of advancing years into the discreet exercise of a leisurely walk.

“I say, dear, I wish you’d do something for me this evening,” said Eleanor to her companion; “just drop in after dinner on some pretext or other, and stay on to make a fourth at bridge with Adela and the aunts.  Otherwise I shall have to play, and Harry Scarisbrooke is going to come in unexpectedly about nine-fifteen, and I particularly want to be free to talk to him while the others are playing.”