iew, she walked
up the circular stairs leading to his office, conscious that the eyes
of the "young ladies" in the downstair shop were fixed upon her. As she
went into the manager's room, she purposely left the door open. She
found Orgles writing at a table; at his side were teacups, a teapot,
some thinly cut bread and butter and a plate of iced cake. Mavis
watched him as he worked. As her eyes fell on his stooping shoulders,
camel-like face and protruding eyes, her heart was filled with loathing
of this bestial old man, who made the satisfaction of his lusts the
condition of needy girls' securing work, all the while careless that he
was conducting them along the first stage of a downward journey, which
might lead to unsuspected depths of degradation. She itched to pluck
him by the beard, to tell him what she thought of him.

"Miss Keeves!" said Mr Orgles presently.

"Yes, sir."

"Don't say 'sir.'"

Mavis started in surprise. Mr Orgles put down his pen.

"We're going to have a friendly little chat," said the man. "Let me
offer you some tea."

"No, thank you."

"Pooh! pooh! Nonsense!"

Mr Orgles poured out the tea; as he did so, he turned his head so that
his glance could fall on Mavis.

"Bread and butter, or cake?"

"Neither, thank you."

"Then drink this tea."

Mr Orgles brought a cup of tea to where Mavis was standing. On his way,
he closed the door that she had left open. He placed the tea on a table
beside her and took up a piece of bread and butter.

"No, thank you," said Mavis again.

"What?"

He had taken a large bite out of his piece of bread and butter. He
stared at the girl in open-mouthed surprise.

Mavis was fascinated by the bite of food in his mouth and the
tooth-marks in the piece of bread and butter from which it had been
torn.

"Now we'll have a cosy little chat about this most unfortunate
business."

Here Mr Orgles noisily sucked up a mouthful of tea. Mavis shivered with
disgust as she watched him churn the mixture of food and drink in his
mouth.

"Won't you sit down?" he asked presently.

"I prefer to stand."

"Now then!" Here he joyously rubbed his hands. "Two months ago, when we
had a little talk, you were a foolish, ignorant little girl. Perhaps
we've learned sense since then, eh?"

Mavis did not reply. The man went on:

"Although a proud little girl, I don't mind telling you I've had my eye
on you, that I've watched you often and that I've great hopes of
advancin