and by the friendly offers of
Mr. de Brabazon.

"It is wrong to get discouraged," she said to herself. "After all,
there are warm hearts in the world."

When she entered her humble home, she found Dodger already there.
There was an eagerness in his manner, and a light in his eye, that
seemed to indicate good news.

"Well, Dodger, what is it?"

"I've been waitin' half an hour to see you, Florence," he said. "I've
got some work for you."

"What is it--sewing on a button, or mending a coat?"

"No, I mean workin' for money. You can play on the pianner, can't
you?"

"Yes."

"They want a young lady to play the pianner at a dime museum, for nine
dollars a week. It's a bully chance. I just told the manager--he's a
friend of mine--that I had a young lady friend that was a stunnin'
player, and he wants you to come around and see him."

It was a preposterous idea--so Florence thought--that she should
consent to play at such a place; but she couldn't expect Dodger to
look at the matter in the same light, so she answered, very gently and
pleasantly:

"You are very kind, Dodger, to look out for me, but I shall not need
to accept your friend's offer. I have secured a chance to teach
uptown."

"You have? What'll you get?"

"I am to be employed three hours daily, at fifty cents an hour."

"Geewhillikens! that's good! You'd have to work as much as twelve
hours at the museum for the same pay."

"You see, therefore, that I am provided for--that is, if I suit."

Dodger was a little disappointed. Still, he could not help admitting
that it would be better for Florence to teach three hours, than to
work ten or twelve. As to her having any objection to appearing at a
dime museum, that never occurred to him.

Florence had sent for her trunk, and it was now in her room.

Dodger accompanied an expressman to the house, and luckily saw Jane,
who arranged everything for him.

"How's the old gentleman?" asked Dodger. "Florence wanted me to ask."

"He's feeble," said Jane, shaking her head.

"Does he miss Florence?"

"That he do."

"Why don't he send for her, then, to come back?" asked Dodger,
bluntly.

"Because Curtis Waring makes him believe she'll come around and ask
forgiveness, if he only holds out. I tell you, Dodger, that Curtis is
a viper."

"So he is," answered Dodger, who was not quite clear in his mind as to
what a viper was. "I'd like to step on his necktie."

"If it wasn't for him, my dear young mistres