"I can't think what has taken the girl," she said to her husband one day; "your nephew has brought his religious notions here, and has turned her head. Such trouble as I've taken to keep her from all pious people, too, fearing they would fill her head with fancies. And here she is as religious as any of them. I might just as well have saved myself the trouble."
"Exactly so," said her husband, dryly.
"I do believe you will go the same way, James."
"Might do worse."
"And after all our toil to work up the business!"
"My dear, the business won't suffer."
Meanwhile, in the shop below, Norris had sent Owen on an errand to the stores underneath the ground; he had to go down through a trap door to the cellar, and not going quick enough to suit the young man, or out of spite, Norris give him a push, which, loaded as he was, made him lose his footing and fall heavily through the opening.
"What a stupid!" exclaimed the man; "he is no more fit for business than a calf."
"Norris!" said Clarice, coming hastily out of the counting-house, "I saw the whole affair. You pushed him down, and my father shall know."
"You make a mistake, Miss Hadleigh," he said, blandly; "he is the most useless boy we ever had on the premises."