busy and important accordingly. But at the very bottom of
Ellen's heart there was a little secret doubtfulness
respecting her undertaking. She hardly knew it was there, but
then she couldn't tell what it was that made her fingers so
inclined to be tremulous while she was dressing, and that made
her heart beat quicker than it ought, or than was pleasant,
and one of her cheeks so much hotter than the other. However,
she set forth upon her errand with a very brisk step, which
she kept up till, on turning a corner, she came in sight of
the place she was going to. Without thinking much about it,
Ellen had directed her steps to St.Clair and Fleury's. It was
one of the largest and best stores in the city, and the one
she knew where her mother generally made her purchases; and it
did not occur to her that it might not be the best for her
purpose on this occasion. But her steps slackened as soon as
she came in sight of it, and continued to slacken as she drew
nearer, and she went up the broad flight of marble steps in
front of the store, very slowly indeed, though they were
exceeding low and easy. Pleasure was not certainly the
uppermost feeling in her mind now; yet she never thought of
turning back. She knew that if she could succeed in the object
of her mission, her mother would be relieved from some
anxiety; that was enough; she was bent on accomplishing it.

Timidly she entered the large hall of entrance. It was full of
people, and the buzz of business was heard on all sides. Ellen
had for some time past seldom gone a-shopping with her mother,
and had never been in this store but once or twice before. She
had not the remotest idea where, or in what apartment of the
building, the merino counter was situated, and she could see