It was a relief to keep her
eyes on the different packages.
Faith had never had much experience in doing up parcels, but she managed
very nicely after her hands stopped trembling.
Long before noon she was aching in every muscle. The dust that rose from
the floor was irritating her throat and the store was so hot that her
head was aching.
She looked down at the clerks, who had been on their feet steadily since
eight o'clock, and began to understand the callousness of their
expressions. A great throb of pity for them, rather than for herself,
dimmed her eyes for an instant so that she could not see her packages.
During that first few hours Faith could not help noticing how often
Number 89 sent up goods to be wrapped. There were double as many sales
to her credit as to any of the others at the counter, and at a leisure
moment she leaned over and looked down at her.
Just as she did so Number 89 was seized with a fit of coughing. It was
over in a minute, but was extremely severe while it lasted.
In spite of herself Faith could not resist glancing at her often, and
once when she caught her eye she smiled at her pleasantly.
The effect was magical.
Number 89 soon handed up a check and three yards of ribbon, and as their
hands met over the goods she caught and squeezed the "packer's" little
finger.
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