"Wait a minute," said the young man, and he appeared to grow suddenly grave
"This is quite serious. Who have you run away from?"

"Oh, it's only Teresa across the street, and this must be a surprise for
her. Will you please show me an apron?"

So the young man, without further ado, hauled down a number of those
articles for inspection. "There you are. Take your pick."

Paula gave one look, "Oh, no; not that kind," she said with a consternation
which I shared, seeing in imagination old Teresa with her great wooden
shoes and her long skirts adorned with one of these elegant articles of the
latest fashion.

"No? Don't you like these?" questioned the clerk.

"Oh, no," said Paula. "You see, it's for Teresa."

"And, pray, who is Teresa?"

Paula started to explain, when the anxious face of the old servant showed
itself at the door of the shop across the way, and not seeing us, had
started to look up and down the street "Here she comes," I said. "Oh,
Paula, what shall we do?"

"Go in behind the counter, there," said Paula who never lost her head.

I got in behind a pile of merchandise while Paula continued to explain her
wants to the clerk from the dark corner of the shop. The youug man appeared