any had been an immense protection to
her; had accounted for her, caused her to be taken, to a certain extent,
for granted. The wild beast that comes to town with the circus, though
an object of legitimate curiosity, does not excite the hostile and
fearful speculation that he would if he were left behind after the
circus had gone.

People got together in groups and nodded at her, pointed at her. A few
of them leered, but more of them scowled. There seemed to be a sense of
outrage that she hadn't left the town when the rest did.

There was a dry-goods store on the principal corner of the street, which
she'd selected as she walked along as the place to begin her quest. She
made a detour around two or three blocks in order to avoid retracing her
steps down Main Street and slipped into the door of this establishment
as unostentatiously as she could.

She was saved inquiring for the proprietor by the conviction that the
rather dapper-looking gray-haired man who came blinking toward her in a
near-sighted way as she paused in the main aisle, was he. He had a good
deal of manner and was evidently proud of it. But he looked neither weak
nor foolish.

"My name's Rose Stanton," she said as he came up. "I've come to see if I
can get employment in your store."

His manner changed instantly. He came a step closer and stared at her
with a surprise he didn't try to conceal.

"I haven't had any experience as a saleswoman," she went on, "and I know
there's a lot to learn. But I'd work hard and learn as fast as ..."

"Excuse me," he said, "but aren't you a member of that theatrical
company that was here last night?"

The intensity with which he was staring at her made her look away and
her eyes rested on a young man whose strong family likeness to the
proprietor identified him for her as his son; he had come up and was
waiting for a word with his father. At this question he stared at her
too.

The older man whipped around on his son. "Clear out, Jim," he said
sharply. And then to Rose: "You haven't answered my question."

"I was a member of that company," she said. "But ..."

"We have no vacancy at present," he said sharply. "Good day."

She flinched a little but stood her ground. "I said I wasn't experienced
as a saleswoman," she said, "but there are some things I know a good
deal about--clothes and hats...."

He hadn't stayed to listen; had walked straight to the door and opened
it. Reluctantly she followed him.

"Ther