d enough to use your dresses. Marguerite looked real nice
in the one she took. Your Mama wrote in to know what kind of a job you
had--Sit down, Julia," she said as she poked about the stove with a lid
lifter.

Julia, who had drawn a long breath to recount her experiences, suddenly
expelled it. It occurred to her, with a great relief, that her
grandmother was not interested in details. Her hard life had left her no
curiosity; she was only mildly satisfied at finding her granddaughter
apparently prosperous and well; Mrs. Cox was never driven to the
necessity of borrowing trouble.

Julia learned that her own father and mother were in Los Angeles, where
George was looking for employment. Evelyn had developed a sudden
ambition to be a dressmaker, Marguerite had a new admirer. Pa, Mrs. Cox
said, was awful cross and cranky. Julia, with a premonition of trouble,
asked for Chester.

"He's fine; he's the only one Pa'll speak to," her grandmother said,
unexpectedly.

"Oh," said Julia eagerly, "he's here?"

"Sure, he come back," Mrs. Cox assured her indifferently. "He's got good
work."

Walking home in the early darkness, Julia could have danced for very
lightness of heart. She had dreaded the call, dreaded their jealousy of
her new chance, dreaded the possibility of their wishing to share the
joys of The Alexander with her. She found them entirely uninterested in
her problems, and entirely absorbed in themselves. Marguerite remarked
that she did not see why Julia "let them make" her wear the plain linen
uniform of which Julia was secretly so proud. Evelyn was fretting
because dressmakers' apprentices could depend upon such very poor pay,
and vouchsafed Julia a moment's attention only when Julia observed that
the Tolands patronized a very fashionable dressmaker, and might say a
good word to her for Evelyn. This excited Evelyn very much, and she
suggested that perhaps she herself had better see Miss Toland.

"No--no! I'll do it," Julia said hastily.

Mrs. Cox, upon her departure, extended her granddaughter a warm
invitation.

"If they don't treat you good, dearie, you come right back here and
Grandma'll take good care of you," said she, and Evelyn and Marguerite,
eying Julia over their cups of tea, nodded half pityingly. They thought
it a very poor job that did not permit one to come home to this kitchen
at night, even less desirable than their own despised employments.
Julia's being kept at night only added one more ite