"Dear me, Mrs. Kirkland!" exclaimed Miss Bartlett, with an appearance of virtuous indignation, "you act as if you thought I meant to steal the fan. Of course it was an accident."
"It was an awkward accident," said Mrs. Kirkland, dryly. "Unluckily, it is not the first of the kind which has happened. I have a great respect for your father, Miss Bartlett, and I should be sorry to be obliged to apply to him; but I must do so if any more of these accidents happen."
"There is no danger of any accident happening to rue in your shop, Mrs. Kirkland; for I shall never enter it again."
"So you said before," remarked Mrs. Kirkland.
"And I will take care that none of my acquaintances do so, either," continued the lady, disregarding the interruption. "You will rue the day that you ever set that beggar's brat to watch and spy upon me. And I will be revenged upon her, too. I dare say she steals from you all the time. Indeed, I know she does. I have seen her slip things into her pocket."
"There! I would not say any more, Miss Bartlett," interrupted Mrs. Kirkland. "You do not mend matters. As for your not coming here yourself, I certainly prefer that you should not do so: I am not fond of such scenes; nor can I afford to be robbed. As to Nelly, I know her."
Miss Bartlett took up her muff, and flounced out of the shop without any more words.
"You have done well, Nelly. I am pleased with you," said Mrs. Kirkland, who was a woman of few words. "You have acted with great presence of mind, and saved me from a serious loss. I shall not forget it. Don't say any thing about the matter, my dear. I do not want the unfortunate girl to fall into disgrace by my means. The trouble will come upon her and her family soon enough."
"But she could not have taken it by accident, Mrs. Kirkland," said Nelly. "I saw her take it out of the case and put it in her muff."
"No doubt she did. It is not the first scene of the sort I have had with her; but I did hope she meant to do better. I have been watching her for some time, however. Now go to work on Mrs. Sprague's afghan, and finish one of the black stripes as quickly as you can, that I may begin the embroidery. You need not be troubled about what Miss Bartlett said," she added, seeing that Nelly still looked uncomfortable. "I know her, and I know you."