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Show -53-- closer into the center of the town, the sidewalks became very crowded. Strangely enough, however, there was no sound of voices! This struck her as rather odd, and she stopped and took a good loolc at the people. They were walking in all directions, up and down the sidewalks, across the streets, and in and out of the houses. However, not one single person walked with or even spoke to another. They made a great show of their fine clothes, and would stop constantly to admire themselves in the many jeweled mirrors which lined the fronts of the buildings. Don't they have any work to do? Sandy thought in surprise. By now, she had almost reached the corner where the two streets met. A delicious aroma tickled her nose, and she turned in its direction. There, over the arched doorway of the tall corner building, was a small, gold sign. "fine foods" Sandy eagerly pushed open the door and went inside. Two rows of towering marble pillars stood in half-circles in the middle of a gigantic, domed room. Encircling the pillars were carved jade tables, with plush velvet benches to match. Suspended from the exact center of the dome was a massive gold and crystal chand&ier with hundreds of twinkling lights. Green velvet curtains covered the walls, hanging in deep folds from the dome rim to the thick, gold carpeted floor. Lining the walls were long glass cabinets edged in gold, with big bronze locks dangling from their centers. Inside one |