Since his eye and restraining presence, however, were now absent
from the store, there would have been no small tumult at the ribbon
counter had not Belle by her straight-forward, fearless manner brought
things to a speedy issue. There were now no customers in the shop,
and the discipline of the day was practically over, therefore
the girl on whom Belle had turned so passionately, having reached
a safe distance, said, outspokenly, "I'll say it now, so all can
hear, even if I lose my place for it. You are a mean, p'ismis
little black snake in the grass. We all know how you got this girl
out of the place she's had for years, and I want you to understand
that if you stay you'll have a hot time of it."

"And I want you to understand that if I've a right to stay, I WILL
stay," cried Belle, in a ringing voice. "I'm not afraid of you, nor
a thousand like you. Either you're all cats to treat a young girl
as you've treated me the last two days, or else there's something
that I don't understand. But I' m going to understand it here and
now. You hold your tongue, and let this girl speak who says I've
taken her place. She's the one I'm to deal with. But first let me
say how I got this place--I asked for it. That's the whole story,
and I didn't know I was taking it from any one else."

Belle's courageous and truth-stamped manner began to create a
diversion in her favor, and all near listened with her to what the
dismissed girl might say. The latter did not in the least respond
to Belle's energy, but after a long, weary sigh she began, without
raising her head from her hand as she sat leaning on the counter,
"Whether you're right or wrong, I'm too badly used up to quarrel
with you or to answer in any such gunpowdery fashion. I'm dead
beat, but I thought I'd like to come in and see you all once more,