TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



the circle, and waited inquisitively for the denoue- 

 ment, which was not, when we left. The whole 

 thing leaked out because it had been made a secret 

 of, and as such been confided to an intimate friend. 



Mrs. A., the wife of a prominent Seattle banker, 

 was a flighty, vain little personage, and had an 

 ardent admirer in a certain Mr. B., a well-known 

 real estate agent. The acquaintance was absolutely 

 platonic. Mrs. A. said so, and naturally she would 

 be in the know. Mr. B., as a faithful cavalier should 

 do, escorted his ladye here, there, and everywhere, 

 and one day, in the course of their perambulations 

 among the shops, they came on a beautiful thing in 

 sealskin coats, a perfect dream of a garment, priced 

 at $500. 



Pretty Mrs. A. expressed her heartfelt admiration, 

 and her great desire to own and wear such a certain 

 incentive to feminine envy. Mr. B. said that if he 

 could see his way to giving her the coat without 

 arousing any undue astonishment on the part of 

 Mr. A., such an opportunity should be at once seized 

 upon with gusto and delight. 



But alas ! c'est impossible I So handsome a coat 

 would take some buying, any one would know that. 

 Mrs. A.'s allowance could not be held responsible 

 for such an outlay. 



Then happy thought Mr. B. had an idea. He 

 was not frightened, he often had them, but rarely 

 such a brilliant gem as this scintillating affair which 

 paved the way to the furriers, and, incidentally, of 

 course, confusion dire. 



