"Then," said Olga decidedly, "you must help pay our expenses. You are
well and strong. Why should you expect me to support you?"

"Why? Because you have a trade and I have not, for one reason. And
besides, there's the baby--I can't leave her to go out to work." There
was a note of triumph in Sonia's voice.

"You could get work to do at home--sewing, embroidery, knitting--or
something."

"'Or something!'" There was fretful impatience now in Sonia's tone. "I
hate sewing--any kind of sewing. You know I always did."

"Then what will you do?"

Sonia sat looking down in sulky silence at the baby.

Olga went on, "If there is no work you can do at home, you must find
something outside. You can go into a store as you did before you were
married."

"And I guess," Sonia broke out angrily, "if you'd ever stood behind a
counter from eight in the morning to six at night, you'd know how nice
_that_ is! You earn enough. I think it's real mean and stingy of you to
grudge a share of it to this poor sick baby--and me. I do so!"

"I don't grudge anything to the baby, Sonia, though I do think it is
your business to provide for her, not mine. But I say again it is not
right for me to have to support you, and I am not willing to do it. It
is best to speak plainly once for all."

"Well, I should say you _were_ speaking plainly," Sonia flung out with
an unpleasant smile. She rocked with a quick motion, her brows drawn
into a frown. "How can I go into a store, even if I could get a place? I
couldn't take the baby with me," she muttered.

"I could bring my work home--most of it--and you could leave the baby
with me."

"Ah ha! I knew it. I knew you could do your work here if you wanted to,"
Sonia triumphed, pointing to the bench in the corner. "You just don't
want to stay here with me." Olga made no denial and her sister went on
in a complaining tone, "Anyhow I'd like to know how I'm going to get a
place anywhere when I've no decent clothes. You know it makes all the
difference how one is dressed."

"That is true," Olga admitted, "but, Sonia, I cannot buy you a suit. I
haven't the money."

"You could borrow it."

Olga's face flushed. "I've never borrowed a cent in my life or bought
_any_thing on credit, except--mother's coffin," she said passionately.
"And I did night work till I paid for that. I cannot run in debt. I
_will_ not!"

Sonia shrugged her shoulders. "Well then, if you want me to get a
place, you'll just have to let