woman leaned sill further over the mil, tying to keep the litle black spot insight, but soon, so very soon it was such a long way away that she couldn't even be sure that it was there ata ‘Afra time, another woman came out on deck. Tit one was thin and bony and wore lasses She saw the fist wom walked over to her 'So there you ar; she sad. ‘The fat woman turned and fooked at her, but said nothing. and "Ive been searching for you, the bony one continued. "Searching all over the ship! "Ws very strnge/ the fat woman ssid. A man jumped off the deck just now, with his clothes on "Nonsense!" "Oh, yes. He sid he wanted to get some exercise, and he Jjumped in and didn't even take his clothes of "You'd better come down now, the bony woman ssid, Her ‘mouth had suddenly become frm, her whole fas sharp, and she spoke les kindly than before, ‘And don't you ever go wandering bout on deck alone like this again. You know you're meant to wat for me "Yes, Maggie the ft woman answered, and again she smiled, 2 kind, trusting smile, and she took the hand of the other one and owed herselfto be led away across the deck ‘Suoh a nice man’ she sti. "He waved to me Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat Mr and Mrs Bixby lived in a smallish dat somewhere in New ‘York City. Mr Bixby was a dentist, who earned an average income. Mrs Bixby was a big, active woman with a wet mouth Once & month, abvays on Friday aflemoons, Mrs Bixby would set on the tain at Pennsylvania Station and travel to Baltimore to visit her old aunt. She would spend the night withthe aunt and return to New York City on the following day, in time 10 cook supper for hor husband. Mr Bixby accepted this arrangement good-naturedly. He knew that Aunt Maude lived in Baltimore, and that his wife was very fond of the old lady, and certainly it ‘would be unreasonable 19 reise cither ofthem the pleature of @ ‘monthly meeting. "But you must ever expect me fo come too Mr Bixby had ‘sid in the beginning "Of course not, darling’ Mrs Bisby had answered. ‘Afr all, shes not your aunt, She's min.” So fr, 0 good. As it tumed out, though, the aunt wat only & convenient ‘excuse for Mrs Bixby. The rel purpose ofher trips was to visita {gentleman known as the Colonel, and sho spont the greater part ofher time in Baltimore in his company. The Colonel wes very wealthy, He lived in an attractive house on the edge ofthe town, He had no wife and no family, only © few loyal servants, and in Mrs Bixby’s absence he amused himself by riding his horses and hunting ‘Year after year, this pleasant fiendship between Mes Bixby and the Colonel continued without @ problem. They met so rarely - twelve times a year is not much when you think about it — that there was litle ot no chance of their growing bored with one 2sanother. The opposite vas true: the long wait between meetings made them fonder, and each separate occasion became an exciting reunion, ght years went by. 1 wa just before Christmas, and Mes Bixby was standing on ‘the station in Bakimore, waiting for the tin to take her back to New York. This particular vist which had just ended had been sore than usually pleasant, and Mos Bixby was feeling cheerful But then the Colone’s company always made her feel cheeriul these days, The man had a way of making her fe that she was a rather special woman. How very different ffom her dentist hhusband at home, who only succeeded in making her feel that, she was a sulfrer from continuous toothache, someone who lived fn the waiting room, sient among the magazine, "The Colonel asked me to give you this’ @ voice beside her ssid. She tumed and saw Wilkins, one ofthe Colonel's servants, a somal man with grey skin, He pushed a large, flt box into her "Good heavens!" she cried. What a big box! What is it, Wilkins? ‘Was there massage? Did he send me a message? "No message’ the servant said, and he walked away. |As soon as she wat on the train, Mrs Bixby carried the box ino the Ladies’ Room and locked the door. How exciting this ‘was! A Christmas present from the Colonel. She started to undo the string," be its a dress she thought. Tt might even be wo dresses, Orit might be @ whole lot of beautiful underclothes. 1 won't look, I just fs} around and ty wo guess what its. TH try to guess the colour as well, and exactly what it looks like. Also, how much it east? She shut her eyes and slowly lied off the lid. Then she carefully put one hand into the box. There was some paper on top; she could feel t and hear it There was also an envelope ot cand ofsome sort, She ignored this and began feling under the % paper, her Fingers reaching out delicately "My Goal” she cried suddenly. "Tt cant be true!” She opened her eyes wide and looked atthe coat. Thea she seized it and lied it out of the box. The thick fir made a wonderful noise against the paper and when she held it up and saw it hanging to is fl length, it was so beautiful it took her breath aay. ‘She had ever seen mink like this before. It was mink, wasn't Yes, ofcourse it was, But what a beeuiful colour! The fur was Imost pure black. At ies, she thought it was Black; but when she held it closer to the window, she si that there was a touch of blue in it as well a deep rich blue. But what could it have cast” She hardly dared to think. Four, five, six thousand dolas? Possibly more She just coulda take her eyes off Nor, for that mater, could she wait try it on. Quickly she slipped offher own plain red coat. She was breathing fist now, she coulda’ help it, and her eyes ‘wore stetched very wide, But, oh Gad, the fel ofthat fie! The great black coat ssemed to slide onto her almost by itself, hike & second skin. It was the stangest feeling! She looked ito the rior. It was wonderful. Her whole personality had suddenly changed completely, She looked wonderful, beautiful, rieh and sexy, all at the same time, And the sense of power that it gave her! Tn this coat she could walk into aay place she wanted and people ‘would come running around ler lke rabbits. The whole thing was just too wonderfl for words! [Mrs Bixby picked up the envelope that was stil lying in the box, She opened it and pulled out the Colonel's letter: once heard you sping ha you wre fod of mink so I got you thir. im old i a good one. lease acept it with my sincere pad wither as a paring resent For my own personal reasons I Shall not beable 0 see you ay more. Goodie an god bik awelt! Imagine that! Jost when she wat feeling so happy” No more Colonel. What a terible shock, She would miss him terribly. Slowy, Mrs Bixby began stoking the wf black fir ofthe coat, ‘She had lost one thing but gained another. ‘She smiled and folded the loter, meaning fo tear it up and thiow it out of the window. But while she was folding ®t, she noticed that there was something written on the other side: fist tel them that nice generous aunt of yours gave Ht to you for Christmas, ‘The smile on Mrs Bixby’s face suddenly disappeared "The man must be crazy! she cred, ‘Aunt Maude doesn't have that sort ofrmoney. She coulda’ possibly give me this ‘But if Aunt Maude dida't give it to her, then who di? Ob God! In the excitement of finding the coat and trying it fn, she had completely ignored this important detail In a fow hours she would be ia New York Ten minutes ater that she would be home, and her husband would be there t grest hers and even a man like Cyril living inthe dark world of tooth decay and filings and root treatments, would sat asking a few questions ifhis wife suddenly walked in from a weekend wearing 4 sixcthousand-dollar mink coat "You know what I think’ she told herself." think that Colonel ‘nas done this on purpose just to drive me crazy. He knew perfectly well that Aunt Maude didnt have enough money to buy this He know I woulda’ be able to keep it she told herself. But the thought of parting with it now was more than Mrs Bixby could bear 28 "Te gor to have this coat” she sid outloud this coat! ve got to have this coat!” ‘Very well, my dear, You shall ave the coat, But don't worry. Sil and keep calm and start thinking, You're a clever gi, aren't ‘ve got to have you? You've tricked him before. The man has never been able to ce much flrther than the end of hie own instruments, So sit completely sill and shink There's lots of time ‘Two and a half hous later, Mrs Bixby stepped off the train at Pennsylvania Station and walked quickly out into the steet, She ‘was wearing her ld red coat again now and was carrying the box in her arms. She signaled for taxi ‘Drives she said, do you know of pawnbeoker that’s stil ‘open around here?” ‘The man behind the wheel looked back at her, amused. "There are plenty of them in this are, he answered 'Stop atthe fist one you see, then, will you pease” She got in| and was driven away. Soon the taxi stopped outside a pawnbrokers shop "Wait for me, please’ Mrs Bixby ssid to she dive, and she got cout ofthe taxi and entered the shop. "Yes? the owner said fom a dark place in the back ofthe shop. “Oh, good evening,’ Mrs Bixby ssid, She began fo untie the string around the box. "snt it sly of me? Tve lost my handbag, ‘and as this is Saturday, all the banks are closed until Monday and we simply got to have some money for the weekend. This is ‘wite valuable coat, but I'm not asking much. I only want to ‘borrow enough on it 1 help me until Monday. ‘The man waited and said nothing. But when she pulled out the mink and allowed the beautiful thick fix to fill over the ‘counter, he came over to look at it. He picked it up and held it out in front of him, "Honly I had a watch on me or a rng,’ Mrs Bixby said? give you that instsad. But I don't have a thing with me except this »coat! She spread out her fingers for him to see. "Tt looks now the man sid, stroking the soft i. "Oh, yes, its. But, as 1 said, 1 only want to borrow enough money to help me until Monday. How about Sy doles?” "VU lend you fifty dollars” "Ws worth a hundred times more than that, but [ know youl ke good cate ofit until I return ‘The man went over to a drawer and brought outa ticket and placed it on the counter. The ticket hed @ row of small holes ross the middle $0 that it could be torn in two, and both halves were exactly the same "Name? he asked, "Leave that out. And the address.” She saw the man pause, and she saw the pen waiting over the dotted line "You don't have to put the name and address, do you?" ‘The man shook his head and the pen moved on down to the next line "Ws just that MU rather not) Mrs Bixby suid. ‘Ts purely persone "You'd better not lose this ticket, then” "1 wont lose it? "Do you realize that anyone Who gets hold of this ticket can ‘come in and elsim the coat” "Yes, know that” "What do you want me to put for @ description?” 'No description either, thank you. IS not necessary. Just put the amount I'm borrowing” ‘The pen paused again, wating over the dated line beside the word "Description "T think you ought to put a desertion. description is always ‘help sf you want to sll the tcket, You never know, you might want to sell it sometime 30 "1 don’ want to elit! "You might have to, Lots of people do” "Look, Mrs Bisby suid. ''m not poor, iftha's what you mean I simply lost my bag. Don't you understand” "Tes your coat the man ssid, ‘At this point, an unpleasant thought struck Mrs Bixby. ‘Tell me something’ she sid. IT don't have 8 description on my ticket, how ean T be sure that you'll give me back the coat and not something else when I return?” "Tt goes in the books.” ‘Hat all ve got is a number, So actully, you could hand me any old thing you wanted, int that 507" ‘Do you want a description or don't yout” the man asked "No, she sid“ trust you! ‘The man wrote ity dollars’ opposite the word "Value! on both parts of the ticket, then he tore it in half down the middle and gave one balf.@ Mis Bixby. Then he gave her five ten-dollae notes. "The interest is three per cent a month,’ he said "Allright. Thank you. Youll take good eate of i, won't you?” ‘The man said nothing Mrs Bixby turned and went out of the shop onto the set Where the taxi was waiting. Ten minutes ltr, she was home. ‘Daring,’ she sid as she bent over and kissed her husband Did CCysl Bixby laid down the evening newspaper and looked at the watch on his wrist, "fs twelve and a half minutes past sx he said "You'e abit late, arent you?” ‘know. It's thogeterible trains. Aunt Maude sent you her love as usual need drink, What about you?" Her husband folded his newspaper neatly and went over tothe rinks’ cupboard. His wife remained in the eentre ofthe room, watching him eaefuly, wondering, how long she ought to wait He had his back to her now, bending forward to measure the slrinks. He was putting his face right up close tothe measurer and ooking into it as though it were a patients mouth woe what Te bought for messuring the drinks’ he said, holding up a measuring lasT ean gett to the nearest drop with this? "Darling, how clever? 1 really must try to make him change the way he dresses, she told herself His sits are just too silly: There had been 2 time when she thought they were wonderful, those old-fashioned jackets and narrow trousers, but now they simply seemed silly. You had to have a special sor of face to wear things lke chat, and (Cyriljust did't ave i, It was a fae that in the ollce he alvays jreoted female patients with his white coat unbuttoned s0 that this was they could see his clothes beneath; in some strange wi clearly meant to give the idea that he was « bit off ladics' man ‘But Mrs Bixby knew beter. It meant nothing "Thank you, darling’ she suid, aking the drink and seating herett'in an armchair with her handbag on her knees. ‘And what id you do ast night ™ "T stayed on in the office and did some work, I got my accounts up to date? "Now, reilly, Cyril, ifs time you let other people do your paperwork for you. Youre much too important for that sort of thing" "T prefer to do everything vse! "T know you do, darting, and I think ifs wonderful. But I don’ want you to get 100 tired. Why doesn't that Pulteney woman do the accounts? That's part ofher job, isn't it” "She does do them, But Ihave to decide on the prieesftst. She doesn't know who's rick and who isnt? “This drink is perfect’ Mrs Bixby sad, setting down her gss on the side table. Quite perfect! She opened her bag as ito look fr something, ‘Oh, look!” she cried, seeing the ticket. forgot, 2 to show you this! 1 found itjust now on the seat of my taxi. Is got @ number on it, and I thought it might be worth having, so 1 sept She handed the small piece of sti brown paper to her husband, who took it in his fingers and began examining it closely, as iit were a problem tooth "You know what this is? he sid slowly "No, dear, | don. ‘pawn ticket” A what? 'A ticket ffom a pawnbrokers. Here's the name and address of the shop.” ‘Oh deer am disappointed. | was hoping it might be a ticket Tra horse race of something” "There's no reason to be disappointed’ Cyril Bixby said AS a matter of fict this could be rather amusing "Why could it be amusing, darting?” He began explaining to her exaelly how pawn ticket worked and particularly that anyone possessing the ticket could claim ‘whatever it was. She listened patiently until he had finished "You think is worth claiming she asked "T think it worth finding out what itis. You soe this figure of| finy dollars thats written here? Do you know what it means?” "No, dear, what does it mean?” "Te means that the thing in question is almost certain to be something quite valusbla” "You mean ill be worth fy dollars?” "More like five hundred." "Five hundred!" "Don't you understand?” he ssid, ‘A pawnbroker never gives {you more than about 2 tenth ofthe real velue" "Good heavens! I never know that” “There's a Jot of things you don't know, my dear, Now you 3listen to me. As there's no name and addess ofthe owner . J "But surely there's something to say who it belongs 10” "Note thing. People often do that. They don't want anyone £9 now they've been to a pawnboker. They're ashamed ofit! Then you think we can keep it? "of course we can Keep it. This is now our ticket! "You mean my ticket! Mrs Bixby sid firmly. "t found it! "My dear gin, whst does it matter? The imporane thing is that ‘we are now in positon to go and claim only ity dollars. How about that "Oh, what fu!" she cried. 'T think ifs very exciting, especially when we don't even know what is It could be anydhing ist ‘hat right, Cyril? Anything at ll! ‘Certainly i could, although ifs most Hikely to be either a ring or 8 wate "But wouldn't it be wonderful if it were something really valuable? ‘We can't know what i is yet, my dear. We shall just have to and see “Think ifs wonderfull Give me the ticket and I'l ash over carly on Monday morning and find out! think Ta better do that” ‘Oh no!” she cred. ‘Let me doit” "T think not, TU collect it on my way to work” "But ifs my Woket! Please let me do it, Cyril! Why should you fave all the fan? "You do cheated” know these pawnbrokers, my dear. You could get "T wouldnt get chested, honestly I woulda’, Give the ticket 19 ime, please! "Also you have to have Fifty doa, be sad, smiling. "You have ny Out ily dollars in cash before theyll give it o you.” Ive got that! she said shink” u rather you didn't handle it, i'you don't mind” "But Cyril, Jfound it. Whatever it, a mine, isn't that sight” ‘OF course its yours, my dear There's no need get so annoyed about it? "vm not. Ym just excited, thats all! suppose you haven't thought that this might be something puticularly male, It it only women that go to pawnbrokers, you know? "In that case, I give i to you for Christmas Mes Bixby said ‘generously. "With pleasure. But ifs @ woman's thing, T want it ris Is that agreed?” “That sounds very fai, Why don't you come with me when 1 calet ie" ‘Mrs Bixby was about 1 say yest this, but stopped herself just in time, She had no wish to be greeted like an old customer by the pawnbroker in her husband's presence "No, she sid slowly, 'T don’ think Iwill. You se, il be even more exciting if say here and wait Oh, Ido hope it isnt going to be something tht neither ofus wants: "You've got a point thers’ he sai." don't think its worth Fify dollars, 1 won't even take it? ‘But you sid it would be worth five hundred.” 'm quite sure it will, Don't worry.” ‘Oh, Cyril 1 can harly wait! Isn't it exciting” amusing,’ he said, slipping the ticket into his jacket pocket. "There's no doubt about that” ‘Monday morning came at last, and aller breakfist Mrs Bixby followed her husband to the door and helped him on with his "Don't work too hard, darling’ she said "Home at six? Thope so! "Aare you going 9 have time to go to that pawnbroker” she sed. 38"My Gog forgot all about tl take a taxi and go there now. 1s on my way. “You haven't lost the ticket, have you” "T hope not! he seid, feling in his jacket pocket. ‘No, here itis’ "And you have enough money” West "Dang she ssi, standing close to him and staightening his tie, which was perfectly straight. Itt happens to be something nice, something you think I might like, will you telephone me as soon as you get tothe office” “Ifyou want me to, yes! "You know, I'm hoping itll be something for you, Cyril. Pd ‘much rather it was for you than for me "That's very generous ofyou, my’ deur. Now 1 must bury About an hour later, when the telephone rang, Mrs Bixby was sszos the room 80 fist she had the receiver to her ear before the fit ring had ished "Tve got it!" he sid “You have! Ok, Cyril, what was i€? Was it something good?” "Good! he cried, 'I's wonderful! You wait until you see this "You're a lucky gin that's what you are’ "Ws for me, then?” "Of course its for you, though I cant understand how the pavenbroker only paid fifty dollars for it Someone's enzy’ “Cyril! Tell me! 1 can’ ear it? "Youll go erazy when you see it! ‘What is ie?” “ry to gucs. Mes Bixby paused. Be carci, she told herself. Be very cael 36 "A diamond ring, she said Wrong” "What then "TH ep you. Its something you can west "Something 1 can wear? You mean like « het?” "No, is nota hat he suid, laughing "Cyril Why don't you tell me?” ‘Because I want it to be a surprise Il bring it home with me this evening” "No you won't! she cried 1d rather you dida't do that "Don't be ily, daring, Why shouldn't T come?” "Because I'm foo busy. I'm halfan hour behind akedy: "Then TI come in the hunch hout. Al tight” ‘Yam not having e lunch hour. Ob, well, come at 130 then, ‘while Pm having a sandwich. Goodbye” A haf past one exety, Mrs Bixby arrived at Mr Bixby’ place ‘ofbusness and rang the boll. Her husband, in his white dentists coat, opened the door hiss "Oh, Cyril, 'm s0 excited” "So you should be. You're a lucky gn, did you know that Ie Jed her down the passage and into his room. “Go and have your lunch, Miss Pulteney? he said 10 hit secretary, who was busy puting instruments ava. "You cas finish ‘that when you come back’ He waited until the girl had gone, then he walked over to a cupboard that he used for hanging up his clothes and stood in front oft, pointing with his Singer. in there he said. ‘Now - shut your eyes! Mss Bixby did as she was told, Then she took a deep breath and held it, and in the silence that followed she could hear him ‘opening the cupboard door, and there was 2 soft sound as he pulled something out ffom among the other things hanging there. 'm coming right down thereto get 7“AH right! You can look!" "T don't dare 10 she sad, laughing "Go on. Have # look” ‘She opened one eye just litle, just enough to give her dark misty view ofthe man standing there in his wiite coat holding something up nthe ait “Mink” he cried. "Re [At the sound ofthe magic word she opened her eyes quik, and 1 the sare time she actually sted forward in order 1 seize the ‘oat in her arms, But there was no coat, There was only @ stupid litle fir reckpiece hanging from her husband's hand "Just look at that!" he said, waving it in font ofher face. ‘Mrs Bixby put a hand up to her mouth and started backing away. I'm going to Soream, she told herself. 1 just know it going to scream, "What's the matter, my dear? Don't you like it?" He stopped waving the far and stood Tooking at her, waiting for her to sy something, "Why, yes she sid slowly. "TT think its. fs lovely really lovely? "Te quite took your breath away for a moment, didn't it?” "Yes, it i ‘Very good quality’ he said. ‘Fine colour, to0. Do you know how much this would cost in a shop? Two or three hundred dolar a leas” "T don't doubt it? There were two skins, wo narrow diry-looking skins with thir heads still on them and litle fst hanging down. One of ‘them had the end of the other in its mouth, biting it ‘Here’ he sed. Try it on He leaned forward and hung the ‘hing around her neck, then stepped back to admire it''s perfect really suits you, It sa everyone who has mink, my dea! sink!” 8 No, tit? "You'd better leave it behind when you go shopping or theyll all think wet rich and start charging us double, "TU try fo remember that, Cyril "Voy afiaid you mustn't expect anything else for Christmas iy dollars was rather more than I wat going 9 spend, He turned away and went over tothe sink and began washing, his hands. ‘Go and buy yourself nice lanch now, my dear. Td take you out myself but T¥e got old man Gorman in the waiting room. There's a problem with his fulbe teeth” Mrs Bixby moved towards the door. Pm going to Kil that pawnbroker, she told hese 'm going right back there to the shop this very minute and I'm going to ‘how this dity neckpiece right in his fee, and if he refuses to sive me back my coat I'm going to ill him. "Did [ell you that [ was going to be late home tonight?! Cyril Bixby said sill washing his hands. ‘el probably be atleast 8.30 the way things look at the moment, It may even be nine, "Yes, all right. Goodbye" Mrs Bithy went out, hanging the door shut Behind her ‘At that moment, Miss Pulteney, the secretary, came sling past het down the passage on her way to Hunch, ‘sat it a beautiful day? Mist Pulteney said as she went by, ‘ashing a smile. She was walking in very proud and confident ‘manner, and she looked like © queen, just exaclly lke a queen in the Beauiil black mink coat that the Colonel had piven to Mes Bixby. 2