eks in going
from one house of business to another. In some she was treated
courteously, in a few kindly, in many coarsely, in some insultingly. But
that was nothing; Sarah knew of girls, far more tenderly reared than she
had been, whose experiences had been even sadder.

But Claudia hoped that now Sarah really was at work she was comfortable.

Sarah smiled a little wintry smile. Yes, she was comfortable, and very
thankful to be at work.

Aunt Jane with many apologies wanted more detail.

Then it appeared that Sarah was living on 15s. a week. She lived at a
home for young women in business; she fed chiefly on bread and butter.
Her clothes depended upon occasional gifts from friends.

Claudia began to condemn the world for its hardness.

"But I am not clever," said Sarah; "I can do nothing in particular, and
there are so many of us wanting work."

"And do all these people really need it?"

"Yes; and we all think it hard when girls come and, for the mere
pleasure of doing something, take such work at a lower wage than those
can take who must live."

"But look at me," said Claudia; "I don't want the money, but I want the
occupation; I want to feel I have some definite duties, and some place
of my own in the world."

Sarah looked a little puzzled. Then she said, "Perhaps Mrs. Warwick
could help you."

"Who is Mrs. Warwick?"

"Mrs. Warwick is the presiding genius of a ladies' club to which some of
my friends go. I daresay one of them will be very glad to take us
there."

So they agreed to go. Claudia felt, it must be owned, a little
disappointed at what she had heard from her friends, but was inclined to
believe that between the old life at home and the drudgery for the bare
means of existence there still lay many things which she could do. She
revolved the subject in the course of a morning walk on the day they
were to visit the club, and returned to the shelter of her aunts' home
with something of her old confidence restored.

Despite their goodness--Claudia could not question that--how poor, she
thought, looked their simple ways! Aunt Jane sat, as aforetime, at one
side of the fireplace, Aunt Ruth at the other. Aunt Jane was knitting
with red wool, as she had always knitted since Claudia had known her.
Aunt Ruth, with an equal devotion to habit, was working her way through
a piece of embroidery. Molossus, the toy terrier, was asleep in Aunt
Jane's lap; Scipio reposed luxuriously at Aunt Ruth's feet.

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