The days were getting short and cold, and as the shop door was
opened there was a thorough draught where she was sitting. Her feet
grew icy cold; she could scarcely follow the meaning of her somewhat
difficult lessons. No customers appeared.
"How stupid I am!" thought the little girl. "This will never do."
She roused herself, and bending forward, propped her book open before
her. Presently she heard the clock outside strike seven.
"Mother will be back now, thank goodness!" she thought. "If I work
desperately hard, and stop my ears so that I needn't hear a sound, I may
have done by nine o'clock."
Just at that moment two ladies came in to ask for a special sort of
stationery. Susy, who was never in the least interested in the shop, did
not know where to find it. She rummaged about, making a great mess
amongst her mother's neat stores; and finally she was obliged to say
that she did not know where it was.
"Never mind," said one of the ladies, kindly; "I will come in again next
time I am passing. It doesn't matter this evening."
Susy felt vexed; she knew her mother would blame her for sending the
ladies away without completing a purchase. And they had scarcely left
before she found the box which contained the stationery. She pushed it
out of sight on the shelf, and sat down again to her book. Her mother
ought to be coming in now. Susy would have to do a lot of exercises;
these she could not by any possibility do in the shop.
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