nce, anyway? What do you know about
the world? You're just a foreman in a little country mill and because you
are satisfied with a narrow little life like that you think everyone else
ought to be."

The truth in this goaded Kemble into violation of rule number twelve for
button factory foremen which exhorts such employes to be polite to women
workers.

"Why the devil don't you go to Chicago and be done with it then?" he
demanded. "You're one of these people that has to learn by experience."
He sneered at her. "Perhaps you can get your friend in the auto to take
you. Why don't you try it?"

Tears rushed to the girl's eyes. She began fastening on her hat to
conceal her emotion.

"I'm going to Chicago," she muttered, "just as soon as I am able. Nothing
there can be much worse than being compelled to work in Millville under
you. Good gracious," she added maliciously, after giving him a thorough
inspection, "it's no use to stand here arguing with you."

With this taunt Miss Elsie gave her hat a final adjustment, then, leaving
Mr. Hiram Kemble speechless with rage and injured dignity, she walked out
of the factory door.

CHAPTER II

SEEING MILLVILLE

The distance from the Millville button factory to the corner of Main and
Pine streets in Millville itself is, if you take the short cut through
Nutting's Grove, as all sensible Millvillians do, a five minutes' walk.
If the reader, touring Millville in search of the beginnings of this
story, will make that journey in his imagination he will find himself
standing on the rough board walk in front of John Price's general store.

From her eminence on the top of one of Mr. John Price's high stools
Patience Welcome glanced up from the ledger over which she was toiling,
put the blunt end of her pen into her mouth and looked out into the
street drenched in sunshine. A half dozen farmers' horses, moored to the
hitching rack in front of the store, threshed restlessly with their tails
at enthusiastic banqueting flies, newborn into a world that seemed to be
filled with juicy horses.

The scene did not interest Patience. Her glance went on across the street
where an overdressed young man, just alighted from an automobile, stood
surveying his surroundings. His eyes met hers. He removed his hat with an
elaborate bow. The girl, a little piqued and a little amused, reached
over very quietly and drew down the window curt