“Now look _here_——” Laurence somehow got an idea that this was the policeman’s voice. “Now look _here_——” it said loudly, over and over, but was never able to get any further; for the shrill woman and the plaintive but insistent voices of three men interrupted at that point, and persisted in interrupting as long as Laurence was in the room. He could bear the black cotton back no longer, and, squirming, he made his elbow uncomfortable to the aggressive man who tortured him. “_Here!_” this person said indignantly. “Take your elbow out o’ my stomach and stand still. How d’you expect anybody to see what’s going on with _you_ making all this fuss? Be quiet!” “I won’t,” said Laurence thickly. “You lea’ me out o’ here!” “Well, for heaven’s sakes!” the oppressive little man exclaimed. “Make some _more_ trouble for people that want to see something! Go on and _get_ out, then! _Oh_, Lordy!” This last was a petulant wail as Laurence squirmed round him; then the pressure of the crowd filled the gap by throwing the little man against the fat woman’s back. “Dam _boy_!” he raved, putting all his troubles under one head. But Laurence heard him not; he was writhing his way to the wall; and, once he reached it, he struggled toward the open doors, using his shoulder as a wedge between spectators and the wall. Thus he won free of the press and presently got himself out to the sidewalk, panting. And then, looking about him, he glanced up the street. At the next crossing to the north two busy little figures were walking rapidly homeward. They were gesturing importantly; their heads were waggling to confirm these gestures; and they were chattering incessantly. “Well—dog-_gone_ it!” Laurence whispered. He followed them; but now his lips moved not at all, and there was no mumbling in his throat. He stared at them amazedly, in a great mental silence. * * * * * “What wears _me_ out the _most_,” Daisy said, as they came into their own purlieus again, “it’s this shopping, shopping, shopping, and they never have one single thing!” “No, they don’t,” Elsie agreed. “Not a thing! It just wears me _out_!” “F’instance,” Daisy continued, “look at how they acted in that las’ place when I wanted to see some orstrich feathers. Just said ‘What!’ about seven hundred times! An’ then that ole pleeceman came in!” For a moment Elsie dropped her rôle as a tired shopper, and giggled nervously. “I was scared!” she said. But Daisy tossed her head. “It’s no use goin’ shopping in a store like that; they never _have_ anything, and I’ll never waste my time on ’em again. Crazy things!” “They did act crazy,” Elsie said thoughtfully, as they paused at her gate. “I guess we better not tell about it to our mothers, maybe.” “No,” Daisy agreed; and then with an elaborate gesture of fatigue she said: “_Well_, my dear, I hope you’re not as worn out as _I_ am! My nerves are jus’ comp’etely _gone_, my dear!”