said. "You ought to be in New
York."

Still she persisted, and went to McVickar's, where she could not find
any one. "The Old Homestead" was running there, but the person to whom
she was referred was not to be found.

These little expeditions took up her time until quite four o'clock, when
she was weary enough to go home. She felt as if she ought to continue
and inquire elsewhere, but the results so far were too dispiriting. She
took the car and arrived at Ogden Place in three-quarters of an hour,
but decided to ride on to the West Side branch of the Post-office, where
she was accustomed to receive Hurstwood's letters. There was one
there now, written Saturday, which she tore open and read with mingled
feelings. There was so much warmth in it and such tense complaint at her
having failed to meet him, and her subsequent silence, that she rather
pitied the man. That he loved her was evident enough. That he had wished
and dared to do so, married as he was, was the evil. She felt as if the
thing deserved an answer, and consequently decided that she would write
and let him know that she knew of his married state and was justly
incensed at his deception. She would tell him that it was all over
between them.

At her room, the wording of this missive occupied her for some time, for
she fell to the task at once. It was most difficult.

"You do not need to have me explain why I did not meet you," she wrote
in part. "How could you deceive me so? You cannot expect me to have
anything more to do with you. I wouldn't under any circumstances. Oh,
how could you act so?" she added in a burst of feeling. "You have
caused me more misery than you can think. I hope you will get over your
infatuation for me. We must not meet any more. Good-bye."

She took the letter the next morning, and at the corner dropped it
reluctantly into the letter-box, still uncertain as to whether she
should do so or not. Then she took the car and went down town.

This was the dull season with the department stores, but she was
listened to with more consideration than was usually accorded to young
women applicants, owing to her neat and attractive appearance. She was
asked the same old questions with which she was already familiar.

"What can you do? Have you ever worked in a retail store before? Are you
experienced?"

At The Fair, See and Company's, and all the great stores it was much the
same. It was the dull season, she might come in a little later,