Once she overheard two cash girls talking about the robbery in the office, and as they mentioned the name of Watkins she paused involuntarily and listened.

“They say he’s got brain fever,” said one of the girls.  “Well, I’d think he’d be crazy with all that’s happened.”

“It must be awful,” said the other girl.  “Why, his brother was only a kid, and, to think, he stole five hundred dollars!”

Faith almost gasped for breath at this information.

She tried to speak to the girl, but her lips and tongue seemed palsied.  She understood now what poor Mr. Watkins had suffered, and to think she had distrusted him—­even for one brief second!

Several times during the forenoon she saw Maggie Brady watching her, and the hatred in her eyes was too plain for Faith not to see and understand thoroughly.

Her first thought was to see Maggie and explain her conversation with James Denton, but she thought better of it later, and decided to keep silent.  Miss Fairbanks was plainly upset and nervous.  She scolded the girls constantly, and seemed irritated beyond measure.  Whether Mr. Gunning’s presence was responsible for this nervousness Faith could not tell, but it was plain that the two were on bad terms with each other.

On the other hand, Mr. Gunning had many friends in the department.  Miss Jones smiled at him frequently, as did several of the others.

Faith was standing erect behind her counter when a sharp-looking woman came up.  She began asking to see ribbons of various widths and colors.  Faith tried to wait upon her as rapidly as possible, but as she was not familiar with the stock, she got sadly muddled.

“How long have you been here?” asked the woman suddenly.

“Only about two hours at this counter,” said Faith, sadly.  “I am very sorry, but I am afraid I have not waited on you properly.”

“Do you mean that you are a new girl altogether?” asked the woman.

Faith glanced up innocently, and saw both Miss Fairbanks and the floorwalker scowling at her.

As quick as their eyes met Miss Fairbanks made a signal.  It was as plain as day.  Faith was to answer no questions.

The woman was looking at her with her shrewd, sharp eyes.

“Well, why don’t you answer?” she asked, half smilingly.

“I was a packer for two days,” said Faith very softly.  She could see no reason why she should not answer the question.

As the woman moved away from the counter every eye in the department followed her, and Faith noticed how alert all the girls were to wait upon her.

As soon as she disappeared Miss Fairbanks rushed up to Faith.

“What did she ask you?” she questioned breathlessly; “and what did you tell her?”

Faith repeated the conversation in open-eyed wonder.  When she had finished Miss Fairbanks breathed a sigh of relief, but her face was still clouded.  “I guess they won’t blame me for putting in a green girl,” she said slowly.  “Anyway, there was no one else.  I’m awfully short-handed as it is.”