At the jewel novelty counter across the aisle Miss Fauntleroy moved with deliberate grace, totally unconscious of the fact that the sandy haired little person with the unimportant countenance, who seemed so busy making unimportant sales of bone buttons and shoe laces, never once let the haughty beauty get out of her line of vision.
CHAPTER XVII
THE GIRL IN THE RED TAM
There was an undercurrent of excitement at Burnett & Burnett’s on that sunny Monday morning. Every clerk in the store had either read or heard of the article in the Sunday paper. There was much conjecture as to the identity of the beauty who had purloined the goods and then returned them to Mr. Burnett.
“It sounds like they were talking about me,” said Gertie Wheelan, patting her permanent wave complacently. “That is, all but me being a thief. Min knows I never took a bunch of lace off her counter because when she missed it I was standing right here by her.”
“Of course I know you didn’t, Gertie,” laughed Min, “but the fact that you were standing near me when I missed it isn’t very good evidence that you didn’t take it. I reckon your character is about the best evidence that you didn’t take it. You are a vain old goose, Gertie, but everybody knows you are as honest as you are vain, and that is going some.”
Gertie did not know whether to be complimented or not, but since it was pleasanter to be flattered than to be censured she decided to be flattered.
“I’ve a great mind to ask old Simp who it was,” whispered Min.
“I already did that,” put in Jane Morton, “and he had the cheek to pretend he did not know what I was talking about. You see no names are mentioned in the paper. He hummed and hawed and stuck out his chest and patted his white waistcoat and said: ‘Really, my dear young lady, I cannot conjecture er—er’ and he swelled up a little more and went on: ‘Of course I cannot deny that I know what is going on in this establishment, but prudence compels me to dissemble er—er—to dissemble.’”
The girls all laughed at Jane’s droll mimicry.