to pass from the
experience of human sympathy to the thought of the Divine; without
it the Divine has never been revealed.

One bright night in this October, Dot Ingraham waited, letting her
sister walk on with Frank Sunderline, who had called for them, and
asking Bel Bree to stop a minute and go with her. "We'll take the
car, presently," she said to Ray. "We shall be at home almost as
soon as you will."

"It is about the shop work," she said to Desire, who stepped back
into the library with her.

"I do not think I can do it much longer. I am pretty strong for some
things, but this terrible _standing_! I could _walk_ all day; but
cramped up behind those counters, and then reaching up and down the
boxes and things,--I feel sometimes when I get through at night, as
if my bones had all been racked. I haven't told them at home, for
fear they would worry about me; they think now I've lost flesh, and
I suppose I have; and I don't have much appetite; it seems dragged
out of me. And then,--I can't say it before the others, for they're
in shops, some of 'em, and places may be different; but it's such a
window and counter parade, besides; and they do look out for it.
People stare in at the store as they go by; Margaret Shoey has the
glove counter at that end, and she knows Mr. Matchett keeps her
there on purpose to attract; she sets herself up and takes airs upon
it; and Sarah Cilley does everything she sees her do, and comes in
for the second-hand attention. Mr. Matchett asked me the other day
if I couldn't wear a panier, and do up my hair a little more
stylish! I can't stay there; it isn't fit for girls!"

Dot's cheeks flamed, and there were tears in her eyes. Desire
Ledwith stood with a thoughtful, troubled expression in her own.

"There ought to be other ways," she said. "There ought to be more
_sheltered_ work for girls!"

"There is," said little Bel Bree from the doorway "in houses. If I
hadn't Aunt Blin, I'd go right into a family as seamstress or
anything. I don't believe in out-doors and shops. I've only lived in
the city a little while, but I've seen it. And just think of the
streets and streets of nice houses, where people live, and girls
have to live with 'em, to do real woman's home work! And it's all
given up to foreign servants, and _our_ girls go adrift, and live
anyhow. 'Tain't right!"

"There is a good deal that isn't right about it," said Desire,
gravely; knowing better than Bel the difficulties in th