d one thin finger, without lifting the hand from her
lap. Implacable darkness seemed to Amy to be settling upon her too.

"At least, aunt, let me have you moved to some less horrid place."

"Foulness and filth are too sweet and fair for me," said the dark woman;
"and I have been too long idle already."

She lifted the work and began to sew. Amy's heart ached as she looked at
her, with sympathy for her suffering and a sense of inability to help
her.

There came a violent knock at the door.

"Who's there?" asked Aunt Martha, calmly.

"Come, come; open this door, and let's see what's going on!" cried a
loud, coarse voice.

"Who is it?"

"Who is it? Why, it's me--Joseph!" replied the voice.

Aunt Martha rose and unlocked the door. A man whose face was like his
voice bustled noisily into the room, with a cigar in his mouth and his
hat on.

"Come, come; where's that work? Time's up! Quick, quick! No time, no
pay!"

"It is not quite done, Mr. Joseph."

The man stared at Aunt Martha for a moment; then laughed in a jeering
way.

"Old lady Black, when you undertake to do a piece of work what d'ye mean
by not having it done? Damn it, there's a little too much of the lady
about you! Show me that work!" and he seated himself.

The woman brought the basket to him, in the bottom of which were several
pieces completed and carefully folded. The man turned them over rapidly.

"And why, in the devil's name, haven't you done the rest? Give 'em here!"

He took the whole, finished and unfinished, and, bundling them up, made
for the door. "No time, no pay, old lady; that's the rule. That's the
only way to work such infernally jimmy old bodies as you!"

The sewing woman remained perfectly passive as Mr. Joseph was passing
out; but Amy sprang forward from the window:

"Stop, Sir!" said she, firmly. The man involuntarily turned, and such was
his overwhelming surprise at seeing a lady suddenly standing before him,
and a lady who spoke with perfect authority, that, with the instinct of
obsequiousness instinctive in every man who depends upon the favor of
customers, he took off his hat.

"If you take that work without paying for it you shall be made to pay,"
said Amy, quietly, her eyes flashing, and her figure firm and erect.

The man hesitated for a moment.

"Oh yes, ma'am, oh certainly, ma'am! Pay for it, of course, ma'am! 'Twas
only to frighten the woman, ma'am; oh certainly, certainly--oh! yes,
ma'am, pay for it, of c