ten minutes to four o'clock
Baird & Himmel 's was the great popular department store of the town , just now rapidly flowing over its whole block , and building all around the usual drug-store which declined to sell . Here rich and poor rubbed elbows with something like that human equality so lauded by Mr. V.V. and others . And here Cally had pushed her way to Gentlemen 's Furnishings , her purpose being to buy two shirts for James Thompson , Jr. , neck size 13 , and not to cost over one dollar each , as mamma had duly noted on the memorandum . It was ten minutes to four o'clock , as a glance at her watch now showed . Cally swung a little on her circular seat , and encountered the full stare of a girl of the lower orders , seated next her . Her own glance , which had been casual , suddenly became intent : the girl 's face , an unusual one in its way , touched a chord somewhere . In a second Cally remembered the little factory hand who had brought her the note from Dr. Vivian , that fateful Sunday afternoon in May ... The little creature bobbed her head at her , with the beginnings of an eager smile , which did not change her wide fixed stare .