“Only second-rate chorus girls and Viennese parvenus wear it,” he said, “and all the really well-dressed women are going in for the fur of the soda-mink, that comes from the great soda plains of Northern Alaska.” “Still,” I said, “beaver is a pretty fur and I never bother much about fashion, and if I could get it for sixty I would think about it,” ’ and before I could say another word Sophie was weeping and raving and begging me to buy her stole off her. She said she had never really fancied it and had bought it against her better judgment, and had seen a soda mink stole that she really hankered after, and couldn’t afford to have both. Finally I took pity on her and bought her seventy guinea beaver at my own figure. Altogether I rather enjoyed her visit.”

“I thought I knew something about fur,” said Clovis, “but I can’t say that I ever heard of Alaska soda-mink before.”