“I cannot afford to sell you this piece of goods for less than a dollar thirteen.”

“A dollar thirty, did you say?” asked Mrs. Waring, examining the silk more closely.

“Ye—­yes, ma’am,” quickly replied Allen.  “A dollar thirty.  And it’s a bargain at that, I do assure you.”

Mrs. Waring raised her eyes and looked steadily for a moment or two into the young man’s face.

“A dollar and thirty cents,” she repeated.

“Yes, ma’am.  A dollar thirty,” was the now assured answer.  “How many yards shall I measure off for you?”

“I want about twelve yards.”

“There isn’t a cheaper piece of goods in market,” said the young man, as he put his scissors into the silk—­“not a cheaper piece, I do assure you.  I had a large stock of these silks at the opening of the season, and sold two-thirds of them at a dollar and a half.  But, as they are nearly closed out, I am selling the remainder at a trifle above cost.  Can I show you any thing else, ma’am?”

“Not to-day, I believe,” replied Mrs. Waring, as she took out her purse.  “How much does it come to?”

“Twelve yards at one dollar and thirty cents—­just fifteen dollars and sixty cents,” said Allen.

Mrs. Waring counted out the money, and, as she handed it to the young man, fixed her eyes again searchingly upon him.

“Shall I send it home for you?” he asked.

“No—­I will take it myself,” said Mrs. Waring, coldly.

“What have you been buying, aunt?” inquired Fanny, when Mrs. Waring had returned home with her purchase.

“A silk dress.  And I want to know what you think of my bargain?”

The silk was opened, and Fanny and her mother examined and admired it.

“What did you pay for it, sister?” asked Mrs, Lovering, the mother of Fanny.

“A dollar and thirty cents,” was answered.

“Not a dollar thirty?” Marked surprise was indicated.

“Yes.  Don’t you think it cheap?”

“Cheap!” said Fanny.  “It isn’t worth over a dollar at the outside.  Mr. Allen has been selling the same goods at ninety and ninety-five.”

“You must certainly be in error,” replied Mrs. Waring.

“Not at all,” was the positive assertion.  “Where did you get the silk?”

A somewhat indefinite answer was given; to which Fanny returned—­

“I only wish we had known your intention.  Mother would have gone with you to Edward’s store.  It is too bad that you should have been so cheated.  The person who sold you the silk is no better than downright swindler.”

“If it is as you say,” replied Mrs. Waring, calmly, “he is not an honest man.  He saw that I was a stranger, ignorant of current prices, and he took advantage of the fact to do me a wrong.  I am more grieved for his sake than my own.  To me, he loss is only a few dollars; to him—­alas! by what rule can we make the estimate?”

Much more was said, not needful here to repeat.  In the evening, Edward Allen called to see Fanny, who spoke of the purchase made by Mrs. Waring.  Her aunt was present.  The silk was produced in evidence of the fact that she had been most shamefully wronged by some storekeeper.