ems to steady me up--to bear it like."

She went out of the room tottering a little, but came back quite
cheerful when the children returned home for the midday meal.

After dinner Alison went to see Mr. Shaw. She did not like this job at
all, but she knew she had no chance of getting another place unless she
could induce Shaw to give her a character. She planned how best to go
to the shop without being observed by the rest of the shop people. She
was too handsome a girl not to have created a great deal of attention
during her stay at Shaw's, and now, with this story about the theft
hanging over her head, she would be more interesting and more worthy of
criticism than ever. She dreaded beyond words being seen at Shaw's,
more particularly by Louisa Clay and Jim Hardy. She crept in by a side
entrance, and as the shop was very full at this hour (Christmas being
so close at hand, the crowd this afternoon was denser than ever), she
managed to escape attention. She could see without being noticed. She
observed Louisa flaunting about the shop, looking very handsome, and on
every possible occasion appealing to Jim for advice or help. Jim was
the walker to-day, and Louisa was always calling him to her on one
pretext or another. It seemed to Alison's jealous eyes that the young
man did not dislike her too-evident attentions. He always replied to
her with courtesy, and, according to Alison, stood by her side longer
than was necessary.

"I must get that situation in Oxford Street," muttered the girl to
herself. "I shall feel fit to kill those two if ever they are wed, and
the further I am off the better."

Her angry and excited feelings gave her courage, and she was able to
ask a comparative stranger--a girl who scarcely knew her--if she could
see Mr. Shaw.

"I am afraid you cannot to-day," was the reply. "The manager is too
busy, but if you like to call again----"

"No, no, I see him there. I'll ask him myself," was the reply.

"Lor', what cheek!" muttered the new shop-girl; but Alison was too far
away to hear her.

She had approached Mr. Shaw as he was wishing one of his customers "A
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year." He turned round with a smile on
his lips. Things were doing remarkably well, and he could afford to be
cheerful. Suddenly his rather staring, bloodshot eyes encountered the
full gaze of Alison's clear blue ones.

"Eh, Miss Reed?" he said, stepping back in astonishment.

"Yes, sir; can