going to the Oddfellows' ball, an affair which was then on the
_tapis_, and when the latter answered in the negative, explaining
that her small salary would not allow her to purchase the necessary
finery, Miss Smith laughed and called her a silly little goose.
Taking her by the arm, Anna then let her into a secret, and
explained how she obtained all she required, and indeed could, out
of the abundance of her stores, fit out Miss Cissie, whom she chose
to consider her protegee. She urged Cissie not to miss the ball on
any account, and reminded her that she had already obtained a decided
advantage over Miss Williams, Miss Hunt and Miss Jones, and that
with such an outfit as she would lend her the victory would be
complete.

Cissie was for a moment shocked. She had been several times offered
presents by gentlemen of her acquaintance, but had always resolutely
declined to take them, having an instinctive feeling which warned
her against their acceptance. She could not bear now to wear the
dresses proffered by Miss Smith, and momentarily made up her mind
not to go to the ball at all. Then again her heart failed her as her
companion glibly ran over the names of those who were to attend, and
Cissie thought how she would like to enter the room on Horace Gibson's
arm in the presence of Miss Williams and the rest. Horace Gibson was a
clerk in the Bank of Montreal who had invited Miss Wilson to the ball,
and was to receive her answer that evening. As luck would have it,
that young gentleman approached just as the girls were rounding the
corner of the street, and, raising his hat in salute, inquired if
he was to have the pleasure of taking Miss Wilson to the ball.
Cissie hung her head, and was just about to offer some excuse, when
Miss Smith answered for her: