ura vanished, quivering. For standing before one of the
plate-glass cases and patting into place with deft fingers the satin bow
of a hand-wrought chemise was Ray Willets, in her shiny little black
serge skirt and the braver of her two white shirtwaists.

Miss Jevne quickened her pace. Ray turned. Her bright brown eyes grew
brighter at sight of Miss Jevne's wondrous black. Miss Jevne, her train
wound round her feet like an actress' photograph, lifted her eyebrows
to an unbelievable height.

"Explain that costume!" she said.

"Costume?" repeated Ray, fencing.

Miss Jevne's thin lips grew thinner. "You understood that women in this
department were to wear black one-piece gowns this week!"

Ray smiled a little twisted smile. "Yes, I understood."

"Then what--"

Ray's little smile grew a trifle more uncertain. "--I had the
money--last week--I was going to--The baby took sick--the heat I guess,
coming so sudden. We had the doctor--and medicine--I--Say, your own
folks come before black one-piece dresses!"

Miss Jevne's cold eyes saw the careful patch under Ray's left arm where
a few days before the torn place had won her a reproof. It was the last
straw.

"You can't stay in this department in that rig!"

"Who says so?" snapped Ray with a flash of Halsted Street bravado. "If
my customers want a peek at Paquin I'll send 'em to you."

"I'll show you who says so!" retorted Miss Jevne, quite losing sight of
the queen business. The stately form of the floor manager was visible
among the glass showcases beyond. Miss Jevne sought him agitatedly. All
the little sagging lines about her mouth showed up sharply, defying
years of careful massage.

The floor manager bent his stately head and listened. Then, led by Miss
Jevne, he approached Ray Willets, whose deft fingers, trembling a very
little now, were still pretending to adjust the perfect pink-satin bow.

The manager touched her on the arm not unkindly. "Report for work in the
kitchen utensils, fifth floor," he said. Then at sight of the girl's
face: "We can't have one disobeying orders, you know. The rest of the
clerks would raise a row in no time."

Down in the kitchen utensils and household goods there was no rule
demanding modest but modish one-piece gowns. In the kitchenware one
could don black sateen sleevelets to protect one's clean white waist
without breaking the department's tenets of fashion. You could even pin
a handkerchief across the front of your waist,