nly light. The two clerks, red-faced young men in their shirt
sleeves, leaned on the dark counter as they took orders, listening with
impatient good nature to whispered appeals for more credit, grinding
coffee in an immense wheel, and thumping each loaf of bread as they
brought it up from under the counter.

Julia, out in the street again and enjoying, as she always did enjoy,
the sense of being a busy householder, facing the tide of home-goers,
would perhaps have an errand in the damp depth of the big milk depot,
would get chops or sausages at some small shop, or stop a fruit cart,
driving by in the dimness, for apples or oranges.

Then home to the brightly lighted little kitchen, the tireless little
gas stove. Julia, cheerfully attempting to do ten things at once, would
look up to see Miss Toland, comfortably wrappered and corsetless, in the
doorway.

"Don't forget your window shades, Julie."

"I know, but I wanted to get this oven started--if these sweets are to
bake."

"Give me something to do!" And the older woman, seated, was pleased to
cut bread and fill salt shakers at the request of her busy assistant.
"To-night's the older girls, is it?" she would yawn. "Is Miss Pierce
coming? Good! Well, tell me if you need me, and I'll dress and come
out."

"Oh, we're not doing much to-night," Julia invariably assured her. Miss
Toland never questioned the verdict that freed her for an evening of
restful reading. Julia it was who lighted the hall and opened the street
door, and welcomed the arriving club girls. Sometimes these young women
brought their sewing--invariably fancywork. Sometimes there was a
concert to rehearse, or they danced with each other, or stood singing
about Julia at the piano while she banged away at the crude
accompaniments of songs. Miss Pierce or Miss Watts, older women, usually
came in for a little while to see what was going on, but again it was
Julia alone who must bid the girls good-night and lock and darken the
hall.

Once a month there was a dance for the older girls, to which their
"friends," a word which meant to each girl her foremost male admirer,
were asked, and at which cake and ice-cream were served. Julia always
wore her uniform to these dances, but she also danced, when asked, and
never attempted to deny that she enjoyed herself. But that there was an
immense gulf already widening between her and these other girls, one of
whom she might have been, she soon began to perceive. The