ried to share likewise Mrs. O'Brien's firm conviction that
there was a deep-laid plot to keep her down. In her mother's presence it
was easy enough to believe this, but Ellen was too quick-witted to
deceive herself all the time and, as the days went by and her failure in
stenography grew more and more apparent, she began to lose her air of
aggressive confidence and to show in a new sullenness of manner the
chagrin and the disappointment she was feeling.

There was no dearth of trial places, as the supply of offices in need of
stenographers seemed to be unlimited. So, in the matter of actual
earnings, Ellen was doing pretty well. Indeed, her first experience was
repeated more than once and she was overpaid in order to be got rid of
more quickly. At such times she took the money greedily in spite of the
attendant mortification. Mrs. O'Brien saw no cause for mortification but
would declare complacently: "Ha, ha, the villians! 'Tis conscience
money, no less, that they're paying you! They know they haven't given
you a fair show! But don't you mind them, Ellen dear. The right office
is comin' yet--you can depend on that!"

Mrs. O'Brien's faith was steadfast and at length had its reward. Ellen
came home one evening flushed and triumphant. "Well," she announced,
"I've struck it right at last!" Her eyes sparkled with renewed
assurance. "No more running around for me, a day here and a day there!
I'm fixed! Eight dollars a week to begin on and fifty cents advance
every month!"

"I'm not one bit surprised!" Mrs. O'Brien cried. "I knew just how it
would be! Now tell us all about it!"

"It's a real estate office," Ellen explained; "Hawes & Cranch. Mr. Hawes
is my man. I'm to take his dictation in the morning and get the work out
in the afternoon and attend to his private phone. It's a big office.
They've got two other stenographers and a book-keeper. By tomorrow Mr.
Hawes is going to have my desk put into his room. He's an awful nice
man. He says he never had any one who took his dictation better and he
says I certainly do understand all about business punctuation."

"I'm sure you do!" Mrs. O'Brien agreed heartily.

"And I wasn't there more than a couple of hours when he said he knew I'd
suit and the position was mine if I wanted it."

"Do you hear that!" Mrs. O'Brien gasped. "I'm not one bit surprised!"

"And he apologized for starting me so low. He said it was a rule in
their office. He talked like I ought to be getting twe