o be her last day in the store; she had no
talent as a saleswoman and was merely working out her week.

I felt my heart sink heavily at this, for the evidences of poverty
were plainly to be seen in her clothes and the thinness of her face and
figure. How could I help? What could I do? I took her to a restaurant
for food and talk, and before she would order, she looked into her
purse, with the result that we had only a little toast and tea. It was
all she could afford and I, with a hundred dollars in bills at that
moment in my bag, could not offer her anything more though she was
needing nourishment and dishes piled with savoury meats were going by us
every moment.

I think, if she had let me, I would have dared my father's displeasure
and been disobedient to his wishes by giving her one wholesome meal.
But she was as resolute of mind as he, and, as she said afterwards,
had chosen her course in life and must abide by it. My love she would
accept. It took nothing from Father and gave her what her heart was
pining for--had pined for for years. But nothing more--not another thing
more. She would not even let me go home with her; and I knew why when
her eyes fell at the searching look I gave her. Something would turn
up, and when her husband's health was better and she had found another
position she would send me her address and then I could come and see
her. As we walked out of the restaurant we ran against a gentleman
I knew. He stopped me for a passing word and in that minute she
disappeared. I did not try to follow her. I could get her street and
number from the store where she had worked.

But when I had done this and embraced the first opportunity which
offered to visit her, I found that she had moved away in the interim,
leaving everything behind in payment of her rent, except such small
things as she and her husband could carry. This was discouraging as it
left me without any clue by which to follow them. But I was determined
not to yield to her desire for concealment in the difficult and
disheartening task I now saw before me.

Seeking advice from the man who has since become my employer, I entered
upon this second search with a quiet resolution which admitted of no
defeat. It took me six months, but I finally found her, and satisfied
with knowing where she was, desisted from rushing in upon her, till I
had caught one glimpse of her husband whom, in the last six months,
I had heard described but had never seen.