of it. If Mr. Tobias saw what was
going on, he ignored it tactfully, for the great thing was to keep a
good customer at any price. If the price were a flirtation, why all
the better for the girl, provided the man were chump enough to give
her a good restaurant dinner now and then. Peter Rolls had to think of
his dividends, since he and his manager were not in business for their
health, and to make them satisfactory salesfolk had to be got cheap.
It was "up to" the girls to take care of themselves. What they did out
of business hours, Peter Rolls and Mr. Tobias did not care and didn't
want to know.

No. 2884 required the address, which Mr. Logan seemed eager to give.

"Write clearly, please," he gayly commanded. "Miss--Winifred--Child.
And now the number of the house. I know it as well as my own."

"I can't accept this," she said, not taken by surprise, because she
had been sure all along of what he meant. Only it came as a slight
shock that he should have found out her whole name and the street and
house where she lived.

"But see here," argued Logan, still in the low tone to which both
voices had fallen, "I bought the doll for you when I heard you liked
it. Why not? No harm in taking a doll from a friend."

"You're not a friend," she broke in.

"I want to be. What will that floorwalker chap say if Little Sister is
thrown back on Peter Rolls's hands? It might get you into trouble."

"I can't help that," Win was beginning desperately, when Earl Usher
came hurrying up from the other end of the department, where he had
been selling automatic toy pistols.

"Excuse me, Miss Child," said he briskly, "but that doll is sold. I
ought to have marked it, but forgot. My fault. While you was away to
lunch it happened. The purchaser is going to look in to-night, between
six and six-thirty, to pay and take the parcel away."

Mr. Tobias, hearing this announcement, came bustling into closer
earshot again.

"Very remiss--very remiss not to have marked the doll as sold," he
sputtered. "I don't think we can let the deal stand. _This_ gentleman
has offered to purchase in good faith, and here's his money. Your
customer may as like as not go back on the bargain."

"He won't," said Ursus firmly. "It's a man. He's often here doing
business. He'll be awful mad, and we'll lose him certain sure if we
throw him down like that. I'll be responsible."

"You!" sneered Tobias, impressed nevertheless. "Why, you ain't more
than a ten-dollar