Answer: B) to help the reader visualize Mrs. Sommers setting herself apart from the more crowded bargain area of the store.
Explanation: In the given excerpt from "A Pair of Silk Stockings" we can see the description of how Mrs. Sommers sat before a counter, to rest and gain strength and courage to confront the multitude again. The author uses the expression "comparatively deserted" to describe the counter where Mrs. Sommers sits to help the reader visualize Mrs. Sommers setting herself apart from the more crowded bargain area of the store, the counter where she seats is empty, compared to the rest of the store.
