The next day saw Caro resume hawking and though she remembered every word of the woman's advice, she still hawked into the garage. Despite her not-so-savory experience with the ruffian the previous day, the impulsive nature of her stubbornness steered her into his territory again, but this time she resolved not to pay a dime, no matter what happened.

She was just on her way to attend to someone who had called her over: her third customer of the day, when her ruffian enemy landed from ...