Taking a rose from the bunch of
jacqueminots she wore, she fastened it to the breast of the child's
black apron, and was gone before the latter could recover from her
astonishment.
It was only a little incident, but it changed the whole aspect of
Cash's day. The beautiful flower glowed against the dark uniform, like
a bit of joy vouchsafed to a sombre life.
"How lovely!" exclaimed the salesgirl. "Aren't you lucky, Cash! Don't
you want to exchange with me? I'll give you a delicious orange I
brought with my lunch for that posie."
Cash shook her head. As soon as she could, she stole away to the room
where the girls kept their cloaks and hats. Here, after a furtive look
around to see that ho one was by who might snatch, it away, she
unpinned the rose and slipped it into a small card-board box, having
first carefully wrapped the stem in a piece of well moistened paper.
Then she tucked the box into the pocket of her jacket, and ran
downstairs to the store again.
For the next two or three hours it happened that Cash was kept running
to and fro almost without intermission; but she did not mind it now.
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