The next place she entered was a cigar store.
"I might have known better than to go in; for there's that wooden Indian standing there, a-purpose to keep ladies out!"
"O, here's a 'Sample Room.' Now this must be the place, for it says 'Push,' on the green door, just as the other one did."
What was Dotty's astonishment, when she found she had rushed into a room which held only tables, bottles, and glasses, and men drinking something that smelt like hot brandy!
"I shan't go into any more 'Sample Rooms.' I didn't know a 'Sample' meant whiskey! But, I do declare, it's funny where my store is gone to."
The child was going farther and farther away from it.
"Here is one that looks a little like it Any way, I can see a glass window in there, on the floor."
A lady stood at a counter, folding a piece of green velvet ribbon. Dotty determined to make friends with her; so she went up to her, and said, in a low voice, "Will you please tell me, ma'am, if I'm the same little girl that was in here before? No, I don't mean so. I mean, did I go into the same store, or is this a different one? Because there's a boy going to call for me, and I thought I'd better know."
Of course the lady smiled, and said it might, or might not be the same place; but she did not remember to have seen Dotty before.
"What was the number of the store? The boy ought to have known."