had for them all the
magnificence of a palace; they kept their eyes down and spoke in their
lowest tones. When it came to scrubbing the steps and polishing the
brass-work of the splendid stairs both needed to steel themselves, the
mother against her timidity, the daughter against the shame at so
public an exposure. Wide beneath lay the imposing lobby, and men,
lounging, smoking, passing constantly in and out, could see them
both.

"Isn't it fine?" whispered Genevieve, and started nervously at the
sound of her own voice.

"Yes," returned her mother, who, upon her knees, was wringing out
her cloth with earnest but clumsy hands.

"It must cost a good deal to live here, don't you think?"

"Yes," said her mother. "Don't forget to rub into these little
corners. Look here what you've left."

Jennie, mortified by this correction, fell earnestly to her task,
and polished vigorously, without again daring to lift her eyes.

With painstaking diligence they worked downward until about five
o'clock; it was dark outside, and all the lobby was brightly lighted.
Now they were very near the bottom of the stairway.

Through the big swinging doors there entered from the chilly world
without a tall, distinguished, middle-aged gentleman, whose silk hat
and loose military cape-coat marked him at once, among the crowd of
general idlers, as some one of importance. His face was of a dark and
solemn cast, but broad and sympathetic in its lines, and his bright
eyes were heavily shaded with thick, bushy, black eyebrows. Passing to
the desk he picked up the key that had already been laid out for him,
and coming to the staircase, started up.

The middle-aged woman, scrubbing at his feet, he acknowledged not
only by walking around her, but by graciously waving his hand, as much
as to say, "Don't move for me."

The daughter, however, caught his eye by standing up, her troubled
glance showing that she feared she was in his way.

He bowed and smiled pleasantly.

"You shouldn't have troubled yourself," he said.

Jennie only smiled.

When he had reached the upper landing an impulsive sidewise glance
assured him, more clearly than before, of her uncommonly prepossessing
appearance. He noted the high, white forehead, with its smoothly
parted and plaited hair. The eyes he saw were blue and the complexion
fair. He had even time to admire the mouth and the full
cheeks--above all, the well-rounded, graceful form, full of
youth, health, and tha