Page:Girls of Central High on the Stage.djvu/21

Rh ," and he shook the modest little paper in his hand, having taken it from the clerk.

"Mother is short of money just now," repeated Jess.

"So'm I. You tell her so. I can't let you increase your indebtedness," and his pudgy hand lifted the basket and put it on the shelf behind him.

"You pay me something on account, or pay for these goods you've ordered this evening. I'm needing money, too."

"Mr. Closewick! I hope you won't do that," gasped Jess, paling under his stern glance. "We will pay you—we always have. Mother sometimes has to wait for her money—a long time. We spend many a twenty-dollar bill in your store during the year"

"That ain't neither here nor there," said the grocer, ponderously. "It's a rule I have. Never let a bill run more than twenty dollars. 'Specially where there's no man in the family. Hard to collect from a woman. Makes me bad friends if I press 'em. I can afford to risk losing twenty dollars; but no more!"

"How can you!" cried Jess, under her breath, for there was somebody else entering the store. "We have bought of you for years"

"And if I hadn't stuck to the few business