T OF FACT

Dud Stone had that very day seen the fixtures put into the little
millinery store downtown, and it was ready for Sadie Goronsky to take
charge; there being a fund of two hundred dollars to Sadie's credit at a
nearby bank, with which she could buy stock and pay her running expenses
for the first few weeks.

Yet Sadie didn't know a thing about it.

This last was the reason Helen went downtown early in the morning
following the little dinner party at the Stones'. At that party Helen had
met the uncle, aunt, and cousins of Dud and Jess Stone, with whom the
orphaned brother and sister lived, and she had found them a most charming
family.

Jess had invited Helen to bring her trunk and remain with her as long as
she contemplated staying in New York, and this Helen was determined to do.
Even if the Starkweathers would not let the expressman have her trunk, she
was prepared to blossom out now in a butterfly outfit, and take the place
in society that was rightfully hers.

But Helen hadn't time to go shopping as yet. She was too eager to tell
Sadie of her good fortune. Sadie was to be found--cold as the day
was--pacing the walk before Finkelstein's shop, on the sharp lookout for a
customer. But there were a few flakes of snow in the air, the wind from
the river was very raw, and it did seem to Helen as though the Russian
girl was endangering her health.

"But what can poor folks do?" demanded Sadie, hoarsely, for she already
had a heavy cold. "There is nothing for me to do inside the store. If I
catch a customer I make somet'ings yet. Well, we must all work!"

"Some other kind of work would be easier," suggested Helen.

"But not so much money, maybe."

"If you only had your millinery store."

"Don't make me laugh! Me lip's cracked," grumbled Sadie. "Have a heart,
Helen! I ain't never goin' to git a store like I showed you."

Sadie was evidently short of hope on this cold day. Helen seized her arm.
"Let's go up and look at that store again," she urged.

"Have a heart, I tell ye!" exclaimed Sadie Goronsky. "Whaddeyer wanter rub
it in for?"

"Anyway, if we run it will help warm you."

"All ri'. Come on," said Sadie, with deep disgust, but she started on a
heavy trot towards the block on which her heart had been set. And when
they rounded the corner and came before the little shop window, Sadie
stopped with a gasp of amazement.

Freshly varnished cases, and counter, and drawers, and all were in the
stor