to buy any present for a gentleman; I don't know
any gentleman except my father well enough to think of giving presents
to. No, no, I don't want to buy anything, but I want--I want you to give
me something, aunt."

Mrs. Myrtle looked at Annie as if she were now quite sure that the poor
pretty young lady was not quite right in her head. She did not speak at
all, but waited for Annie to continue.

"You're a female pawnbroker, are you not?" said Annie.

"A female what, my dear?" said Mrs. Myrtle, her face growing crimson.
This was really the last straw. "I don't understand you, miss," she said
in a stiff tone. "I have nothing whatever to do with the trade you
indicate."

Just then some ladies, very good customers, entered the shop.

"You'll excuse me for a moment, miss," said Mrs. Myrtle; "but if you
don't want to buy, I shall be obliged to leave you to attend to my
customers. Good morning, Lady Dalgetty; what can I show your ladyship?"

Poor Annie found herself pushed into a corner. Lady Dalgetty and her
suite occupied all Mrs. Myrtle's attention. Even the humble-looking
Netty was busy serving out spools of cotton, needles, and pins to a
prim-looking lady. Neither of the women in the shop had a moment to
attend to Annie's sore need.

She began to think that Mrs. Myrtle was not so kind as she looked, and
to understand a little of nurse's repugnance to the pawnbroker class.

"They must be low people," she murmured to herself; "for this woman
won't even own to the fact that she is a pawnbroker."

The shop became empty once more; and Mrs. Myrtle, who was really quite
as kind hearted as she looked, raised her eyes, and encountered a very
forlorn glance from Annie.

"Poor, pretty young lady," she said to herself. "She's gone in the head
without any manner of doubt, calling me aunt, and asking me if I'm a
female pawnbroker; but I'd best humour her a bit, and try to find out
who she belongs to."

Accordingly Mrs. Myrtle called Annie back to the counter in a kind
voice.

"I can attend to you now, miss," she said; "but if you have anything to
say, perhaps you'll say it quickly, for this is market day, and heaps of
farmer's wives come in for no end of small matters."

"Do they pawn rings, and then take them out by degrees in instalments?"
asked poor Annie in an eager voice.

"Poor, poor young lady, she's very, very bad," murmured Mrs. Myrtle to
herself.

"I couldn't say for positive, miss," she replied, "that a fa