ngs jarred on my nerves.

And it was in this place Berna worked. She waited on these wantons; she
served those swine. She heard their loose talk, their careless oaths.
She saw them foully drunk, staggering off to their shameful
assignations. She knew everything. O, it was pitiful; it sickened me to
the soul. I sat down and buried my face in my hands.

"Order, please."

I knew that sweet voice. It thrilled me, and I looked up suddenly. There
was Berna standing before me.

She gave a quick start, then recovered herself. A look of delight came
into her eyes, eager, vivid delight.

"My, how you frightened me, I wasn't expecting you. Oh, I am so glad to
see you again."

I looked at her. I was conscious of a change in her, and the
consciousness came with a sense of shearing pain.

"Berna," I said, "what are you doing with that paint on your face?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." She was rubbing distressfully at a dab of rouge on her
cheek. "I knew you would be cross, but I had to; they made me. They said
I looked like a spectre at the feast with my chalk face; I frightened
away the customers. It's just a little pink,--all the women do it. It
makes me look happier, and it doesn't hurt me any."

"What I want is to see in your cheeks, dear, the glow of health, not the
flush of a cosmetic. However, never mind. How are you?"

"Pretty well----" hesitatingly.

"Berna," boomed the rough, contumacious voice of Madam, "attend to the
customers."

"All right," I said; "get me anything. I just wanted to see you."

She hurried away. I saw her go behind the curtains of one of the closed
boxes carrying a tray of dishes. I heard coarse voices chaffing her. I
saw her come out, her cheeks flushed, yet not with rouge. A miner had
tried to detain her. Somehow it all made me writhe, agitated me so that
I could hardly keep my seat.

Presently she came hurrying round, bringing me some food.

"When can I see you, girl?" I asked.

"To-night. See me home. I'm off at midnight."

"All right. I'll be waiting."

She was kept very busy, and, though once or twice a tipsy roysterer
ventured on some rough pleasantry, I noticed with returning satisfaction
that most of the big, bearded miners treated her with chivalrous
respect. She was quite friendly with them. They called her by name, and
seemed to have a genuine affection for her. There was a protective
manliness in the manner of these men that reassured me. So I swallowed
my meal and left the place.