" cried Faith involuntarily. She
had been listening to their conversation without realizing it.

The woman glanced up at her and gave a sharp laugh.

"That, or worse," she said coarsely. "I can't starve to death, can I?"

There was no mistaking what she meant. Her words sent a thrill of horror
through every fibre of Faith's body.

"She surely did not mean that," she whispered to Miss Jennings as soon
as the saleswoman had gone.

"Why not?" asked Miss Jennings in her bitterest manner.

For the second time that day Faith drew back with swift motion, but this
time her companion did not appear to notice it.

"She's got a sick husband and three children," she said sharply; "and
it's no fault of hers that she can't earn an honest living. I tell you,
Faith, that you have lots to learn. I'm sorry you must learn it all in a
lump, of course, but the sooner it is learned the sooner you'll get used
to it."

She breathed a deep sigh as she turned away. For a moment her real
feeling showed above her indifference.

"Get used to it--never!" cried Faith, almost hysterically. "And you are
not used to it, either, Mary; it is killing you this minute!"

"Perhaps you are right," said Miss Jennings, slowly, then as the
customers were gradually drifting back into the store she went forward
to wait upon them with her usual indifference.

For the next half hour Faith was very busy. The excitement had passed,
leaving no trace behind it.

At exactly six o'clock a big gong was sounded. Faith was so tired and
nervous that she almost cried for joy when she heard it.

"It has been the hardest day of my life," she said to Miss Jennings as
they reached the cloak-room.

"Well, you'll have many such if you stay here long," was the reply.
"There are nothing but hard days for the slaves of Denton, Day & Co."

There was a crowd of women and girls waiting at the lavatory basins, and
as Faith caught sight of the towels she turned away with a shudder.

"You'll have to go home with dirty hands, Faith, but you musn't mind
that; we wouldn't get out of here until midnight if we waited our turn
at those basins."

Miss Jennings was putting on her hat as she spoke, and as Faith started
to look for hers the clerk whom young Denton had called "Mag" came
slowly up to them.

"Heard the news, eighty-nine?"

She asked Miss Jennings the question, but she was looking straight at
Faith. There was a gleam in her eye that was very unpleasant.

"What news