nage to save anything. I couldn't. In fact, I
can't live on what I earn. If I don't get a rise I don't know what I am
to do,' said Eva.

'But you have more than my young lady, so you told me; if she can live
on it, why can't you?' objected the housekeeper.

'Because I am extravagant, I suppose; but I can't, and there's the end
of it,' said Eva.

'Nay, my bairn, that's not the end of it; the end of it is a very bad
one--debt and dishonesty, for they are the same thing to me--if one does
not try to put a better end to it; and, I'm sure, you would not keep in
debt, would you? But there, it's no time for such conversation at this
hour, when you ought to be eating a good breakfast before going out to
earn an honest livelihood. Have a piece more bacon, Miss Eva; it's hot
and will keep you going till dinner-time--you've a long morning before
you, remember,' urged the housekeeper.

Then she made up a little parcel with Eva's lunch, for she declared it
was extravagant to pay sixpence a day for dinner when she could always
give them pies or sandwiches to eat at midday, and cook them a nice hot
dinner in the evening.

Eva did not say anything, but though she was quiet she looked less
miserable than she had done when she came down. That day she did not go
to the Enterprise Club, where they ate their cold lunch or had the pies
heated if they liked; and when Amy rang her up on the telephone she said
she was lunching with a friend. Nor did she come home by the same train
as Amy, who even waited for the next, and then gave her up in despair.

'What happened to you, Eva?' asked Stella. Neither Amy nor Vava cared or
dared to question her when she did come in, looking very tired and with
dark rims round her eyes.

'I missed my train,' she replied, throwing herself into a chair in an
attitude of utter exhaustion.

'You must have missed two trains,' said Amy.

'Yes, I did; I saw the second one go out of the station as I came in;
the office clock must have been slow,' observed Eva.

'I should not trust to the office clock,' said Stella.

'I thought you said your watch had never lost a minute since you had had
it,' remarked Vava.

It seemed an innocent enough remark; but Eva flushed crimson, and said,
'I wish you would not worry me like this. I suppose I can miss my train
without all this fuss?' Then she got up and left the room, and they
noticed that she had not her wrist-watch on.

No one made any remark upon her conduct, an