he crowded hall with a smiling face, her hands lightly, clasped in
front of her, her thoughts full of peace, and yet stimulated to a
certain excited joy.

Between the acts people began to go in and out of the large sitting
room, and on these occasions Alison was jostled about a good bit. She
was quite pushed up against the stairs, and had some difficulty in
keeping her balance. She saw a man stare at her with a very coarse
sort of admiration. She did not know the man, and she shrank from his
gaze; but the next moment she saw him speaking to a girl who she knew
belonged to Shaw's establishment. The girl's reply came distinctly to
her ears.

"Yes, I suppose she is pretty enough," she said. "We always spoke of
her as genteel at Shaw's. Oh, you want to know her name, Mr. Manners?
Her name is Alison Reed. She left Shaw's because she stole a
five-pound note. It was awfully good of him not to prosecute her."

"That girl a thief!" said the man who was addressed as Manners. "I
don't believe it."

"Oh, but she is! She was in such a fright that she left the shop the
very day she was accused. That shows guilt--don't it, now?"

Alison could not hear Manners' reply, but after a time, the sharp voice
of the girl again reached her ears.

"They do say as Jim Hardy, our foreman, was sweet on her, but of course
he has given her up now; he is all agog for Louisa Clay, the girl he is
acting with to-night. They say they are sweethearts, and they'll be
married early in the year. It is a very good match for him, for Louisa
has lots of money and----"

The speakers moved on, and Alison could not catch another word. She
had gained a comfortable position for herself now, and was leaning
firmly against the wall. The words which had reached her she fully and
completely realized. She was accustomed to being considered a thief;
she always would be considered a thief until that five-pound note was
found. It was very painful, it was bitter to be singled out in that
way, to have attention drawn to her as such a character; but the words
which related to Jim she absolutely laughed at. Was not Jim her own
faithful lover? Would he not see her home to-night, believing in her
fully and entirely? Oh, yes. Whatever the world at large thought of
her, she was good enough for Jim. Yes, yes. She would promise to be
his to-night, she would not wait until next Tuesday. What was the good
of pushing happiness away when it came so close?