of going to the largest shops in the town,
which I might as well do. And in future I shall certainly go where I
shall be treated like a young lady! Mrs. Winter needn't look for my
patronage any more, I can tell you. She may think I am going to submit
quietly to being insulted by her pert little granddaughter, but she
will soon find out--"

"Please, I am not Mrs. Winter's grandchild, so you need not say that!"
interrupted Madge, suddenly recovering the use of her voice. Her anger
at this undeserved abuse almost got the better of her shyness. "I've
got nothing to do with Mrs. Winter," she continued. "But it's a nice
shop and I won't hear it abused. I dare say there are heaps of
fashion-papers in it, only I don't know where to find them--"

"If you aren't Mrs. Winter's grand-daughter, who are you then, I should
very much like to know?" said Miss Block, looking at Madge curiously
across the counter.

"That's no business of yours," replied Madge, with more truth than
politeness. In point of fact she did not wish this very disagreeable
young person to find out her name. It seemed as if the adventure might
end rather sillily, and Madge was not at all anxious for her part in it
to be widely known.

Miss Block did not appear daunted by the abrupt answer she had
received. On the contrary, she gave a curious smile when Madge
declined to tell her name, and nodded her head, repeating softly to
herself, "I thought so. Just as I thought."

"What did you think?" said Madge at last, feeling intolerably irritated
at her customer's mysterious words and manners.

"Well, it wouldn't require a very clever person to guess what you are!"
replied Miss Block triumphantly. She spoke as if she had just made
some great discovery that gave her infinite pleasure.

"You don't really know who I am, do you?" said Madge with considerable
anxiety.

"Well, I am generally considered as sharp as my neighbours, I believe!"
retorted Miss Block. "And I can make a pretty good guess! When I find
somebody in a shop who doesn't know where any of the things are kept,
although I see her pulling them all about as I come in; and when she
gets very frightened, and won't tell her name or how she got there, I
call that person a thief!"

"A thief! You think I am a thief!" cried Madge, almost more astonished
than offended by such an extraordinary accusation. "Why, Mrs. Winter
herself told me to stay in the shop while she went off to find the man