streets.

She decided to go barehanded, and put the white kid gloves in the
suit-case, but she took off her beautiful rings, and hid them safely
inside her dress.

When the porter came to announce that her breakfast was waiting in the
dining-car, he looked at her almost with a start, but she answered his
look with a pleasant, "Good morning. You see I'm fixed for a damp day."

"Yes, miss," said the man deferentially. "It's a nasty day outside. I
'spect Chicago'll be mighty wet. De wind's off de lake, and de rain's
comin' from all way 'twoncet."

She sacrificed one of her precious quarters to get rid of the attentive
porter, and started off with a brisk step down the long platform to the
station. It was part of her plan to get out of the neighborhood as quickly
as possible, so she followed the stream of people who instead of going
into the waiting-room veered off to the street door and out into the
great, wet, noisy world. With the same reasoning, she followed a group of
people into a car, which presently brought her into the neighborhood of
the large stores, as she had hoped it would. It was with relief that she
recognized the name on one of the stores as being of world-wide
reputation.

Well for her that she was an experienced shopper. She went straight to the
millinery department and arranged to have the hat boxed and sent to the
address Dunham had given her. Her gentle voice and handsome rain-coat
proclaimed her a lady and commanded deference and respectful attention. As
she walked away, she had an odd feeling of having communicated with her
one friend and preserver.

It had cost less to express the hat than she had feared, yet her stock of
money was woefully small. Some kind of a dress she must have, and a wrap,
that she might be disguised, but what could she buy and yet have something
left for food? There was no telling how long it would be before she could
replenish her purse. Life must be reduced to its lowest terms. True, she
had jewelry which might be sold, but that would scarcely be safe, for if
she were watched, she might easily be identified by it. What did the very
poor do, who were yet respectable?

The ready-made coats and skirts were entirely beyond her means, even those
that had been marked down. With a hopeless feeling, she walked aimlessly
down between the tables of goods. The suit-case weighed like lead, and she
put it on the floor to rest her aching arms. Lifting her eyes, she saw a
sign ov