“I’m not worryin’,” she replied; “but what does that little whelp mean by talking to me like that? I’ll swat him one if he isn’t careful!”
“It’s his way. Please don’t anger him. You need his help.”
The doctor interfered. “Now, madam, strip, and let’s see what’s the matter with you,” whereupon he laid off his coat, and opened his box of instruments.
Lee fled, and Redfield, who had remained standing beside the counter, could not repress a smile. “She’s caught a tartar this time. He’s a little tiger, isn’t he? I had prepared him for war, but I didn’t expect him to fly at her that way.”
“Poor mother! how dreadfully ill she looks to-day. I hope the doctor will order her to rest.”
“But will she obey? I’ve argued that with her. She keeps saying she will, but she won’t.”
It was nearly one, but the customers were coming in, and the girl, laying aside her hat and veil, took her seat at the cash-register, while Redfield went out to put his machine in order for the return trip. She realized that she was now at close-hand grapple with life. For the most part she had been able, up to this time, to keep in the background, and to avoid the eyes of the rough men who came and went before her mother’s seat. But now she was not merely exposed to their bold glances; she was in a position where each man could make excuse to stop and demand a word what time his change was being counted.
Her glowing cheeks, her pretty dress, made her a shining mark, and the men began at once to improve their opportunity by asking, “Where’s Lize?” And this embarrassed her, for the reason that she did not care to go into the cause of her mother’s temporary absence, and, perceiving her confusion, one of them passed to coarse compliment. “There’s nothing the matter with you,” he said, with a leer. Others, though coarse, were kindly in their familiarity, and Sifton, with gentle face, remained to help her bear the jests of the more uncouth and indelicate of her admirers.
Perceiving her nervousness, Neill Ballard raised loud outcry over a mistake she made in returning change, and this so confused and angered her that her eyes misted with tears, and she blundered sadly with the next customer. His delight in her discomfiture, his words, his grin became unendurable, and in a flush of rage and despair she sprang to her feet and left them to make triumphant exit. “I got her rattled!” he roared, as he went out. “She’ll remember me.”
The diners were all smiling, and Gregg took a malicious satisfaction in her defeat. She had held herself haughtily apart from him, and he was glad to see her humbled.