"What do you wish, miss?" he said.

But Ellen had been so long preparing sentences, trying to
utter them, and failing in the attempt, that now, when an
opportunity to speak and be heard was given her, the power of
speech seemed to be gone.

"Do you wish anything, Miss?" inquired Mr. St. Clair again.

"Mother sent me," stammered Ellen — "I wish, if you please,
Sir — Mamma wished me to look at the merinoes, Sir, if you
please."

"Is your Mamma in the store?"

"No, Sir," said Ellen, "she is ill, and cannot come out, and
she sent me to look at merinoes for her, if you please, Sir."

"Here, Saunders," said Mr. St. Clair, "show this young lady
the merinoes."

Mr. Saunders made his appearance from among a little group of
clerks, with whom he had been indulging in a few jokes by way
of relief from the tedium of business. "Come this way," he
said to Ellen; and sauntering before her, with a rather
dissatisfied air, led the way out of the entrance-hall into
another and much larger apartment. There were plenty of people
here too, and just as busy as those they had quitted. Mr.
Saunders having brought Ellen to the merino counter, placed
himself behind it, and leaning over it and fixing his eyes