moment Laura stood speechless; then,
with a loud cry, she broke down and burst into hysterics:

"Elfie! Elfie! Don't go now! Don't leave me now! Don't go!" Her visitor
stood hesitating, with one hand on the doorknob. Laura went on: "I
can't stand it. I can't be alone. Don't go, please, don't go!"

She fell into her friend's arms, sobbing. On the instant Elfie's
hardness of demeanor changed. With all her coarseness, she was a
good-natured woman at heart. Melting into the tenderest womanly
sympathy, she tried her best to express herself in her crude way.
Leading the weeping girl to the armchair, she made her sit down. Then,
seating herself on the arm, she put her arm round her old chum and
hugged her to her breast.

"There, old girl," she said soothingly, "don't cry, don't cry. You just
sit down here and let me put my arms around you. I'm awful sorry--on
the level, I am. I shouldn't have said it, I know that. But I've got
feelings, too, even if folks don't give me credit for it."

Laura looked up through her tears.

"I know, Elfie, I've gone through about all I can stand."

Her friend smoothed her by stroking her hair.

"Well, I should say you have--and more than I would. Anyway, a good cry
never hurts any woman. I have one myself sometimes, under cover."

As Laura recovered control of herself, she grew meditative. Musingly
she said:

"Perhaps what you said was true."

"We won't talk about it--there!" said Elfie, drying her friend's eyes
and kissing her.

"But perhaps it was true," persisted Laura, "and then----"

"And then----"

"I think I've stood this just as long; as I can. Every day is a living
horror----"

Elfie nodded acquiescence. Glancing round the room, she exclaimed, with
a comical grimace of disgust:

"It's the limit!"

"I've got to have money to pay the rent," continued Laura anxiously.
"I've pawned everything I have, except the clothes on my back----"

Elfie threw her arms consolingly round her friend.

"I'll give you all the money you need, dearie. Great heavens, don't
worry about that! Don't you care if I got sore and--lost my head."

Laura shook her head.

"No, I can't let you do that. You may have been mad--awfully mad--but
what you said was the truth. I can't take your money."

"Oh, forget that!" laughed Elfie.

Laura put up a hand to cool her burning forehead. Looking out of the
window, she said wistfully:

"Maybe--maybe if he knew all about it--the suffering--he wouldn't