"What do you want here?" said Miss Lee to the customer, as her mother, suddenly perceiving what was going on, paused with a ball of knitting silk in her hand and unutterable things in her face. "Have you a message?" But Polly fled at the first sound of her voice, and was out of sight in a moment, while the errand-boy's loud laugh sounded as he ran after her. "Put those things up, Miss Whittaker," said Mrs Lee, turning blandly to her customer. "Some mistake, ma'am." "Why, Miss Lee," said Florence, "I thought I was to be civil just the same to everyone, and show as many articles as the customers wish." "You had better not be impertinent," said Miss Lee. "Wait till my mother is at leisure." In the almost vacant hour at one o'clock Mrs Lee turned round to her assistant, and demanded what she meant by her extraordinary behaviour. Florrie looked at her. She did feel a little frightened, but the intense delight of carrying the sensation a stage farther mastered her, and she said: "The boy there, yesterday, when you saw us down by the river, dared me to show Polly the fine things in the shop, or to notice her up here. So I said, `Let her come and try.' And she came just now, so I kept my word. There ain't no harm done." It was the absolute truth, but telling the truth under the circumstances, with never a blush or an excuse, was hardly a virtue. "Do you mean to say you have dared to play a practical joke on me and my establishment--that you have been that audacious?" exclaimed Mrs Lee. "I didn't know it was a joke," said Florrie. "You didn't laugh." "No, Florence Whittaker, I did not. I am much more likely to cry. I have a regard for your father, but there have been too many practical jokes in your family. It is your brother Harry over again, and I could not--could not continue to employ you if _that_ kind of spirit is to be displayed." "There's other occupations," said Florrie. "I ain't so fond of fancy work." "Oh, Florrie, don't be such a silly girl," said Miss Lee. "Ask mother's pardon, and have done with it. Then maybe she'll overlook it this time, as you've never done such a thing before." "I don't know what I've done now," said Florrie. "I only showed the articles to a customer." Mrs Lee looked at her. If she had appeared tearful or sulky she would have sent her away to think the matter over. But Florrie looked quite cool, and as if she rather enjoyed the situation. "Well," said Mrs Lee, "I must speak to your father." "I don't care if you do," said Florence. "Then, Florence Whittaker, I _shall_," said Mrs Lee with severe emphasis. "Go back now and attend to your business." Florence revenged herself by doing nothing but what she was told. "Why didn't you show the Berlin wools to that lady?" "I didn't know as I might, Miss Lee." Towards the end of the afternoon Mrs Lee went out, and her daughter was so quiet a person that Florrie had very little opportunity of being saucy to her.