out as honest as most colored girls are who work for
women in the position that I am in. You haven't stolen enough to make
me discharge you, but I've seen what you've taken."

"Now, Miss Laura!" protested the girl.

"Don't try to fool me!" cried Laura indignantly. "What you've got
you're welcome to, but for Heaven's sake don't prate around here about
loyalty and honesty. I'm sick of it."

"Ain't yuh goin' to give me no recommendation?"

Laura shrugged her shoulders impatiently.

"What good would my recommendation do? You can always go and get
another position with people who've lived the way I've lived, and my
recommendation to the other kind wouldn't amount to much."

Overcome by emotion and disappointment, Annie collapsed on a trunk.

"Ah can just see wheah Ah'm goin'!" she cried; "back to dat
boa'din-house fo' me."

"Now, shut your noise," cried Laura impatiently. "I don't want to hear
any more. I've given you twenty-five dollars for a present. I think
that's enough."

"Ah know," replied the negress, putting on a most aggrieved appearance,
"but twenty-five dollars ain't a home, and I'm losin' my home. Dat's
jest my luck--every time I save enough money to buy my weddin' clothes
to get married, I lose my job."

Laura paced nervously from window to door, from door to window, listening
for every footstep.

"I wonder why he doesn't come," she murmured anxiously. "We'll never be
able to make that train!"

Picking the timetable off the floor, she sat down in a chair and began
to study it intently. While thus engaged, she heard the elevator stop
on their floor. She jumped to her feet. There he was! After a few
seconds' interval, the bell rang. Yes--that was he. Without waiting for
Annie, she rushed to open the door, and fell back, visibly disappointed.
It was not John, after all.

"How-dy-do, Miss Laura?"

The visitor was her old friend, Jim Weston. The advance agent was
neatly dressed in black, and he had about him an appearance of
prosperity which she was not accustomed to see. He looked different,
more staid and respectable, but his drollness of speech and kindly
manner were the same as ever. He held out his hand to Laura, who
invited him in. He came at an inopportune time, but she could not
forget his kindness to her during those terrible days at Mrs. Farley's.

"I'm mighty glad to see you, Jim," she said cordially.

"Looks as if you were going to move," he grinned, looking around.

"Yes, I am going