Miss Sternberger patted the back of her hand against her mouth and stifled a yawn.
"One thing I must say for my Bella--no matter where I take that goil, everybody says what a nice, retirin' goil she is!"
"Bella does retire rather early," agreed Miss Sternberger in tones drippingly sweet.
"I try to make her rest up in summer," pursued Mrs. Blondheim, unpunctured. "You goils wear yourselves out--nothin' but beaus, beaus all the time. There ain't a night in New York that my Bella ain't out with some young man. I always say to her, 'Bella, the theayters ought to give you a commission.'"
"Where did you say you live in New York, Miss Sternberger?"
"Oh yes--are you related to the Morris Sternbergers in the boys'-pants business?"
"Honest, now! Carrie Sternberger married my brother-in-law; and they're doin' grand, too! He's built up a fine business there. Ain't this a small woild after all!"
"It is that," agreed Miss Sternberger. "Why, last summer I was eatin' three meals a day next to my first cousin and didn't know it."
"Look!" said Mrs. Blondheim. "There's those made-up Rosenstein goils comin' out of the dinin'-room. Look at the agony they put on, would you! I knew 'em when they were livin' over their hair-store on Twenty-thoid Street. I wonder where my Bella is!"
"That's a stylish messaline the second one's got on, all right. I think them beaded tunics are swell."
"If it hadn't been for the false-hair craze old man Rosenstein wouldn't--"
Mrs. Blondheim leaned forward in her chair; her little flowered-silk work-bag dropped to the floor. "There's Bella now! Honest, that Mr. Arnheim 'ain't left her once to-day, and he only got here this morning, too! Such a fine young man, the clerk says; he's been abroad six months and just landed yesterday--and been with her all day. When I think of the chances that goil had. Why, Marcus Finberg, who was down here last week, was crazy about her!"
"Did you say that fellow's name was Arnheim?"
"Yes. 'Ain't you heard of the Arnheim models? He's a grand boy, the clerk says, and the swellest importer of ladies' wear in New York."
Miss Sternberger leaned forward in her chair. "Is that Simon Arnheim?"
"Sure. He's the one that introduced the hobble skoit. My Bella was one of the foist to wear one. There ain't a fad that he don't go over to Europe and get. He made a fortune off the hobble skoit alone."