"Might as well be in church, O' Man," said Mr. Polly.

"A window ought to be exciting," said Parsons; "it ought to make you
say: El-_lo_! when you see it."

He paused, and Platt watched him over a snorting pipe.

"Rockcockyo," said Mr. Polly.

"We want a new school of window dressing," said Parsons, regardless of
the comment. "A New School! The Port Burdock school. Day after
tomorrow I change the Fitzallan Street stuff. This time, it's going to
be a change. I mean to have a crowd or bust!"

And as a matter of fact he did both.

His voice dropped to a note of self-reproach. "I've been timid, O'
Man. I've been holding myself in. I haven't done myself Justice. I've
kept down the simmering, seething, teeming ideas.... All that's over
now."

"Over," gulped Polly.

"Over for good and all, O' Man."


II

Platt came to Polly, who was sorting up collar boxes. "O' Man's doing
his Blooming Window."