n her pale face.

"He was ruined," she said. "Someone took all his money, and it killed
him."

"Oh," said Peg, thoughtfully. "Like a novelette. I suppose your mother
was a lady," she added with a touch of sarcasm.

Faith answered simply enough: "She was in a shop at Clapham when father
married her, and his people never forgave him."

"You mean because they were swells?"

"Yes, I suppose so; I've never seen any of them."

"It's like a novelette again," said Peg, and fell upon her machine with
renewed energy.

It was some moments before she next spoke.

"It licks me why you've come here. You'll loathe it like poison before
you've been here a week. The noise of the machines gets on your nerves
and makes you want to scream. Miss Dell gets on your nerves, too." She
nodded in the direction of the thin-lipped forewoman. "You'll hate her,
and you'll hate the sight of things like these and all the rich, hateful
people who buy them."

She caught up a dainty silk blouse from the table beside her and shook
it contemptuously.

"Do you know Scammel?"

"Scammel?" Faith echoed the name blankly. "No; who is he?"

"He owns this place," Peg explained. "There's no Heeler in it
really--it's just a name. It's Scammel we're all swotting to make money
for," she added. "And I hate him----"

"You seem to hate a lot of things and people," Faith said timidly.

"So would you if you knew as much as I do," was the sharp retort.

Faith pushed the soft hair back from her forehead; she was beginning to
feel unutterably fagged. "I don't think I could hate anyone very much,"
she said, "except the man who ruined father," she added slowly.

Peg said "Humph!" and for some moments they worked silently. Then Faith
asked again: "What is he like?"

"Who? Scammel? Oh, big and ugly."

"Does he ever come here?"

"Bless your heart, no! He's a millionaire with a house in Park-lane or
somewhere, and a yacht, and a place on the river, and a Rolls-Royce, and
no end more...." She was drawing entirely on her imagination. "I saw him
once when he brought two ladies round the works--dressed-up creatures
they were, too! One of them spoke to me. I nearly told her to mind her
own business and not try the district visitor stunt on me."

Faith caught her breath. "You wouldn't dare!" she said aghast.

Peg laughed. "Wouldn't I! I'm not afraid of anybody or anything."

Faith could well believe her, and from that moment the friendship
between the two girls