as one of the journeys of which Miss Summers had spoken, to the
agricultural districts. Sally could not discover whether Gaga actually
acted as traveller for his own firm; but she gathered that he found it
useful to see how the country was behaving itself in the matter of
agriculture. She suspected also that he went away for his health. She
speculated as to what he looked like with his handsome coat off, and
recalled wrists that could have been spanned with ease by her own small
fingers. In contrast, when she saw Toby, she saw with swelling pride how
big his hands were, and felt his already increased muscles. Once he
swung her clear from the ground with one arm, so that her feet kicked
against his leg in helplessness. He was getting stronger and stouter
than ever, and his eyes were clear and his skin tanned and smoothed by
the breeze. She adored him. He wanted her to go away with him during one
of his leaves; but Sally did not dare to go, because her mother had been
specially grumbling and suspicious. So they saw each other rarely for
the rest of the year, and their meetings became the more precious for
that reason.

Soon after Gaga returned, Madam went away. She had had no holiday, and
she had fallen ill, with headaches and bilious attacks and a threat of
jaundice. So it happened that Gaga came each day to the dressmaking
establishment and took charge of the cash and the accounts, while Miss
Summers and Miss Rapson interviewed any customers who came about
dresses. Miss Rapson, a tall, thin, dark woman, was in another room,
with eight girls under her; but Miss Summers was really in charge while
Madam was away, because she understood the whole business, and was a
more experienced woman than Miss Rapson. Sally had hardly ever seen Miss
Rapson until this time, so much did she keep to her own room; but now,
when the two who were in charge had to arrange their work together,
there was more interchange. Sally had often to go into the other room
with messages or work, and she came to understand very quickly what went
on there. Miss Rapson was strict, and rather disagreeable. Her girls
were like mice, unless she was absent; and her sallow face gave the clue
to her disagreeableness. She did not like Sally at all, because she was
jealous of her. Sally was quick to perceive this, but she did not
retaliate. She formed her own cool conclusions about Miss Rapson. She
understood the complexion, and she was more concerned with the detai