She stared at him in reflection. "Do you know what I would do, if I were you?"
"That's just what I'm asking."
"Then listen here. You're going to get as much money as you're earning a year and a half from now, isn't that so? Very well. Now what are you going to earn it at? The thing you know best is selling shoes. But if you go into a shoe store and ask for a job, they're going to ask where you worked last, and then it will come out that you were fired. You will start off with a black eye. The best thing you can do is to go right back to Hepp's, and ask for your job back."
"I should say not! Me ask that old crab for a job?"
"Supposing he is an old crab, what do you care? All you want is to work up to a good salary, isn't it? And you are not going to stay there for good. If you stayed there for a year and a half, and worked up to a good salary, then he would be sorry to lose you, and you could get right up and tell him to keep his old job!"
"Do you really think he would be sorry to lose me?" asked Paul doubtingly.
"Why, certainly! And that would be some satisfaction, wouldn't it?"
"Well, I guess he will not give me the job back. He didn't know how to appreciate a man, Hepp didn't!"
"You are worrying too much about Mr. Hepp, and what he thinks. Will you go around and ask him for the job back?"
"I would not do it for anybody else in the world, but I will," he said, bowing his high spirit. "Since you ask me to, Miss Hazeltine! I will give Hepp one more chance!"