Can't we contrive to look at
the thing in a--'

'Enough!' Ravengar almost yelled. 'You always talked that kind of d----d
nonsense, you did! Unless you can arrange to say you'll give her up, you
may as well hold your tongue.'

'Very well,' said Hugo, 'I'll hold my tongue.'

'That's all, then?'

'Quite all.'

'I suppose I can go? You'll let me pass? You'll not exercise your right
to treat me as a burglar?'

'There are the stairs. Pass Shawn boldly. He is terrible, but he will
not eat you.'

'Thanks.'

'And that is the unrivalled company promoter! And this is life!' Hugo
meditated when he was alone on the dome.

He leaned over the railing of the gallery, and watched his legions
gathering for the day's battle.

CHAPTER VIII

ORANGE-BLOSSOM

Some two hours later Hugo was in one of the common rooms devoted to the
leisure and diversion of the legions in the upper basement: a large and
bright apartment, ornamented with bookcases, wicker chairs, and
reproductions of all that was most uplifting in graphic art. It was the
domain of the ladies engaged in Departments 30 to 45, and was managed by
an elected committee of their number. Affixed to the walls, in and out
among the specimens of graphic art, were quite a lot of little red
diamond squares, containing in white the words, 'Do it now,' in
excessively readable letters. A staff notice about the early closing of
the previous day had been pinned up near the door, and printed
information relating to a trip to the Isle of Man, balloting for the use
of motor-cars on Sundays, and a gratis book entitled 'Human Nature in
Shoppers,' were also prominent. Above the fireplace was a fine mirror,
and Hugo was personally engaged in pasting on the mirror a fine and
effective poster, which ran as follows:

'Interesting. Last year the sales of the Children's Boot and Shoe
Department surpassed the sales of the Ladies' Ditto by L558. In the
first half of this year, on the contrary, the sales of the Ladies' Boot
and Shoe Department have surpassed the sales of the Children's Ditto by
L25. Great credit is due to the staff of the L.B. and S.D. But will the
staff of the C.B. and S.D. allow themselves to be thus wiped out? That
is the question, and Mr. Hugo will watch for the answer. Managers'
Council, July 10th.'

Hugo, as the supreme head of Hugo's, had organized his establishment in
such a manner as to leave no regular duties for himself, conformably to
the maxim that a we