top of the
stairs that led down into the street.

The other was a small, timid woman, with anxiety and indecision written
all over her, and a last year's street suit with the sleeves remodelled.
When she saw who had stopped the girl, she lingered behind in the hall and
pretended there was something wrong with the braid on her skirt. While she
lingered she listened.

"Wait a minute, Miss," said the flashy woman. "You needn't feel bad about
having references. Everybody isn't so particular. You come with me, and
I'll put you in the way of earning more than you can ever get as a
waitress. You weren't cut out for work, any way, with that face and voice.
I've been watching you. You were meant for a lady. You need to be dressed
up, and you'll be a real pretty girl----"

As she talked, she had come nearer, and now she leaned over and whispered
so that the timid woman, who was beginning dimly to perceive what manner
of creature this other woman was, could not hear.

But the girl stepped back with sudden energy and flashing eyes, shaking
off the be-ringed hand that had grasped her shoulder.

"Don't you dare to speak to me!" she said in a loud, clear voice. "Don't
you dare to touch me! You are a wicked woman! If you touch me again, I
will go in there and tell all those women how you have insulted me!"

"Oh, well, if you're a saint, starve!" hissed the woman.

"I should rather starve ten thousand times than take help from you," said
the girl, and her clear, horrified eyes seemed to burn into the woman's
evil face. She turned and slid away, like the wily old serpent that she
was.

Down the stairs like lightning sped the girl, her head up in pride and
horror, her eyes still flashing. And down the stairs after her sped the
little, anxious woman, panting and breathless, determined to keep her in
sight till she could decide whether it was safe to take a girl without a
character--yet who had just shown a bit of her character unaware.

Two blocks from the employment office the girl paused, to realize that she
was walking blindly, without any destination. She was trembling so with
terror that she was not sure whether she had the courage to enter another
office, and a long vista of undreamed-of fears arose in her imagination.

The little woman paused, too, eying the girl cautiously, then began in an
eager voice:

"I've been following you."

The girl started nervously, a cold chill of fear coming over her. Was this
a woman dete