"She is rich. She has a wonderful imagination
and can see all sorts of things that others don't see, and her friends
are--"
"Kings and queens, and fairies and imps, and ghosts and devils. I
know. I've had friends like that. Does she like pink or blue?"
"I think she likes--blue." Again Van Landing hesitated. Silks and
satins might be Carmencita's choice. Silks and satins would not do. "I
don't mean she has money, and I believe she'd rather have practical
things."
"No, she wouldn't! Girls hate practical things." The long, loose,
shabby coat was touched lightly. "This is practical. Couldn't she have
one pair of shiny slippers, just one, with buckles on them? Maybe
she's as Cinderellary as I am. I'd rather stick my foot out with a
diamond-buckle slipper on it than eat. I do when my princess friends
call, and they always say: 'Oh, Carmencita, what a charming foot you
have!' And that's it. _That_!" And Carmencita's foot with it's coarse
and half-worn shoe was held out at full length. "But we've got to
hurry, or we won't be at the Green Tea-pot by two o'clock. Come on."
With amazing discrimination Carmencita made her purchases, and only
once or twice did she overstep the limitations of practicality and
insist upon a present that could be of little use to its recipient.
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