d:

"Can you attend to my business soon? If not, I'll call some other day."

"Yes," said the man, passing his hand across his brow a little wearily.
He looked tired, and overworked, and Patty felt sorry for him.

But he whirled round in his office chair and asked her quite civilly what
she wanted.

"You advertised for embroiderers," began Patty, feeling rather small and
worthless, "so I came----"

"Yes, yes," said the man, as she paused. "Can you embroider? We use only
the best. Have you samples of your work?"

"I have," said Patty, beginning to untie her box.

But her fingers trembled, and she couldn't unknot the cord.

The man took it from her, not rudely, but as if every moment were
precious. Deftly he opened the parcel, and gave a quick glance at Patty's
exquisite needlework on the doilies and centrepieces she had brought.

"Do it yourself?" he asked, already closing the box again.

"Yes, of course," said Patty, indignant at the implication.

"No offence; that's all right. Your work goes. Report at Department B.
Good-day."

He handed her the box, whirled round to his desk, and was immediately at
his work again.

Patty realised she was dismissed, and, taking her box, she started for
the stairs.

She passed the red-headed boy again, and feeling almost as if she were
meeting an old friend in a strange land, she said: "Where is Department
B?"

"Caught on, didjer?" he grinned. "Good fer youse! B, first floor,--that
way."

He pointed a grimy finger in the direction she should take, and went on,
whistling. Down the three flights of stairs went Patty, and thanks to the
clarity of the red-headed one's direction, she soon found Department B.

This was in charge of a sharp-faced woman, rather past middle age.

"Sent by Mr. Myers?" she inquired, looking at Patty coldly.

"I was sent by the man in Department G," returned Patty. "He said my work
would do, and that I was to report to you."

"All right; how much do you want?" said the woman.

"How much do you pay?" returned Patty.

"Don't be impertinent, miss! I mean how much work do you want?"

"Oh," said Patty, who was quite innocent of any intent to offend. "Why, I
want enough to last a week."

"Well, that depends on how fast you work," said the woman, speaking with
some asperity. "Come now, do you want a dozen, or two dozen, or what?"

Patty was strongly tempted to say: "What, thank you!" but she refrained,
knowing it was no occasion for foolery.