"Do you know where you＇re drifting, Henrietta Stackpole?" Isabel asked, imitating the tone in which her friend had spoken the night before.
"I＇m drifting to a big position—that of the Queen of American Journalism. If my next letter isn＇t copied all over the West I＇ll swallow my penwiper!"
She had arranged with her friend Miss Annie Climber, the young lady of the continental offers,that they should go together to make those purchases which were to constitute Miss Climber＇s farewell to a hemisphere in which she at least had been appreciated;and she presently repaired to Jermyn Street to pick up her companion. Shortly after her departure Ralph Touchett was announced, and as soon as he came in Isabel saw he had something on his mind. He very soon took his cousin into his confidence. He had received from his mother a telegram to the effect that his father had had a sharp attack of his old malady, that she was much alarmed and that she begged he would instantly return to Gardencourt. On this occasion at least Mrs. Touchett＇s devotion to the electric wire was not open to criticism.