They had arranged to meet Sheila at her gate. Renée was frightened to death, and as the three girls trudged on toward the business section of the city she repeated over and over, after Pat, just what she must say upon entering each florist's shop!
"Be sure to tell them that you used to fix that flower stall in France!" warned Pat as they parted. She waved her hand, calling "good luck," and walked on with a brave step. Sheila was to stay with Renée because Renée was not acquainted with the city streets.
But two hours later it was a crestfallen trio who met--as they had agreed to do--in Sheila's kitchen. Pat, in spite of her ridiculous make-up, looked like an unhappy, thwarted child! She had waited over an hour in a stuffy office, packed in with dozens of other "refined lady" applicants who had--although Pat would not tell this even to Sheila or Renée--openly laughed at her!
"And by the time it was my turn to go in I was so tired waiting that I got all sort of scared and couldn't say a word," she explained in deep disgust. "Anyway, it was to sell "Beauty Packages" at people's houses--things that'd make straight hair curly and remove freckles and everything else and you had to deposit twenty-five dollars before they'd even let you begin!"
"And all the flower shops said they had experts to decorate their windows--they would not even let me tell of Colette's stall! I think they thought I was too little," sighed Renée; "often they laughed!"
"Well," Pat tossed her head, "we just mustn't get discouraged but try, try again!"
Renée shuddered. "Oh, I can't--not like that!" she cried vehemently.
"Would you rather not be a scout?" demanded Pat. "You never get anything without trying for it and I guess I'm not going to let one failure discourage me!" In the pleasant shelter of the Quinn kitchen she felt very brave! But a threat of tears in Renée's eyes softened her. "Don't worry, Ren, we'll find something! Maybe," she hesitated, "maybe we'd better consult Aunt Pen!"
"Oh, I wish you would!" Renée cried eagerly. Pat's adventurous spirit frightened her a little.
"I'll think about it and maybe to-morrow----"