situation which the withholding of Carrie's
money would create.

"I'd like to for a week or so, if you don't mind," ventured Carrie.

"Could you pay two dollars?" asked Minnie.

Carrie readily acquiesced, glad to escape the trying situation, and
liberal now that she saw a way out. She was elated and began figuring at
once. She needed a hat first of all. How Minnie explained to Hanson she
never knew. He said nothing at all, but there were thoughts in the air
which left disagreeable impressions.

The new arrangement might have worked if sickness had not intervened. It
blew up cold after a rain one afternoon when Carrie was still without
a jacket. She came out of the warm shop at six and shivered as the wind
struck her. In the morning she was sneezing, and going down town made
it worse. That day her bones ached and she felt light-headed. Towards
evening she felt very ill, and when she reached home was not hungry.
Minnie noticed her drooping actions and asked her about herself.

"I don't know," said Carrie. "I feel real bad."

She hung about the stove, suffered a chattering chill, and went to bed
sick. The next morning she was thoroughly feverish.

Minnie was truly distressed at this, but maintained a kindly demeanour.
Hanson said perhaps she had better go back home for a while. When she
got up after three days, it was taken for granted that her position was
lost. The winter was near at hand, she had no clothes, and now she was
out of work.

"I don't know," said Carrie; "I'll go down Monday and see if I can't get
something."

If anything, her efforts were more poorly rewarded on this trial than
the last. Her clothes were nothing suitable for fall wearing. Her
last money she had spent for a hat. For three days she wandered
about, utterly dispirited. The attitude of the flat was fast becoming
unbearable. She hated to think of going back there each evening. Hanson
was so cold. She knew it could not last much longer. Shortly she would
have to give up and go home.

On the fourth day she was down town all day, having borrowed ten cents
for lunch from Minnie. She had applied in the cheapest kind of places
without success. She even answered for a waitress in a small restaurant
where she saw a card in the window, but they wanted an experienced girl.
She moved through the thick throng of strangers, utterly subdued in
spirit. Suddenly a hand pulled her arm and turned her about.

"Well, well!" said a voice. In the first gl