ht what she
wanted and she was giving the money to the store owner.

"We'd love to stay!" cried Bunny.

"And we can, for a while," added Sue. "Mother said we didn't have to
hurry."

"Oh, could we open the front door and tend store for you really?" asked
Bunny, his eyes sparkling in delight.

CHAPTER XVII

TWO LETTERS

Mrs. Golden thought it over for a minute. Really, with her head aching
as it did, she was in almost too much pain to think, but she felt that
something must be done. She needed all the money she could take in, and
if customers were turned away from her store, because the door was
closed, she would lose trade. Not many would come around to the side as
Mrs. Clark had done.

"Couldn't we tend store for you--a little while?" asked Bunny again, as
he saw Mrs. Golden thinking, as his mother sometimes thought, when he or
Sue asked her if they might do something.

"We could ask you where things are that we don't know about," added Sue,
"and we wouldn't talk loud or make a noise."

"Bless your hearts, dearies!" sighed Mrs. Golden. "You are very kind;
but I'm sure I don't know what to say."

"Then let me say it," advised Mrs. Clark. "I say let the children tend
store for you, Mrs. Golden. Bunny and Sue are a lot smarter for their
age than most children. You let them tend store for you, and I'll run
over once in a while to see if everything is all right."

"Very well," said Mrs. Golden. "You may keep store for me, Bunny and
Sue."

"Goodie!" exclaimed Sue, clapping her hands. Then she happened to
remember that she must not make too much noise, and she grew quieter.

"I'll open the front door and take down the sign," said Bunny. "We'll
wait on the customers for you, Mrs. Golden."

Bunny felt quite like a grown man as he removed the card and turned the
lock in the front door, swinging it open. The shades had been pulled
down over the show windows, and Bunny and Sue now ran these up.

"I'll run along now," said Mrs. Clark, going out the front door and
nodding in friendly fashion at the children. "I guess you'll make out
all right, and I'll be back in a little while. If she gets any worse, or
anything happens, just come and tell me--you know where I live," she
said in a low voice, so Mrs. Golden, in the back room, would not hear.

Sue nodded and Bunny smiled. They were rather anxious for Mrs. Clark to
go, so they would be left in charge of the store. And when this
happened, when really, for th