thought about the case
the more inclined she felt to help in the recovery of the brown bag.
She was one if those kindly people who naturally interest themselves in
their neighbours' affairs, and she felt strongly tempted to take a part
in the little adventure.

"After all it's no great work to stand behind the counter and see that
the things are safe," said Mrs. Winter reflectively.

"Oh, yes, I'm sure I could do that!" replied Madge. "But then if
anybody came to buy. They do sometimes, I suppose?"

"Of course they do, or what would be the sense of calling it a shop,"
said Mrs. Winter rather sharply. "You mustn't think because you caught
me just sitting down to knit for a few minutes this afternoon that
business is in any way slack. That's just my quiet time for an hour or
so then. But you wait till about tea-time, and there isn't standing
room for anyone in the shop many an evening. I know I could do with
another pair of hands easily! What with one wanting writing-paper, and
another pencils, and another a bottle of ink, it may be! And the
children running in with their pennies to ask for some of the little
things you may have noticed in the window; I always keep a lot of
knick-knacks for them."

All this sounded very alarming. Even Madge began to doubt her own
capacity for standing behind the counter and awaiting such an
overpowering rush of business. However, she presently remembered that
Mrs. Winter had referred to the afternoon as being usually a very quiet
time, and certainly nothing could have looked more peaceful than the
old woman sitting quietly nodding over her knitting, and occasionally
flicking a speck of dust off the goods nearest her. Besides, on
careful consideration, the shop was so small that three or four
customers would have great difficulty in getting inside it at once, so
perhaps the crowd of which Mrs. Winter spoke was not really of such an
alarming size. At all events she wanted to get the brown bag back very
much, and it was worth risking something for its recovery.

After a great deal of persuasion Mrs. Winter consented to put on her
bonnet and go in search of the man with the key. Up to the last moment
she poured out an unceasing flow of instructions to Madge how to behave
under every possible circumstance. "And if anybody should come while I
am away, which it's to be hoped they won't, you must just make a bit of
conversation about the weather or something till I come back,"