of sparks, stepped over a great revolving shaft, and came to
a stairway; up, up, to the fifth floor, where the finishing rooms were.

Faint daylight was straggling through the narrow windows, and most of
the lamps were out, those that were burning being very sickly, as if
they did it under protest. A number of women were employed here, because
much of the work was merely automatic, and just now men were scarce and
women would work cheaper. The women were coarse and rough, rather the
scum of the city--perhaps some might have fallen; but the place was
noisome and grimy, with a sickening smell of oil everywhere, repulsive
enough to be fit for any workers.

The stoker and his daughter walked to the farther end, and came to where
a little group of women were sitting round a bench; one of the group
tipped a wink to the rest.

'How's coal an' fires now, Adam?' she said.

'Did ye tell my girl anythin'?' he demanded.

'Of course I did.'

'What was't then?'

'Well,' said she, wiping her greasy hands on the bosom of her dress, 'I
watched on the road for her this morning, an' I told her.'

'_What?_'

'I told her she needn't try to put on airs, she was only a stoker's
daughter, an' he'll not have that place any more.'

'Did ye knaw she didn't knaw't?'

'Yes. What do you care, old dusty? She's got a good place.'

'Yes, she has, Lord's good for't.'

'Shall we fight it out, Adam? Hold on till I wipe my hands.'

'Nawt till one can fight by hersel', Margery. I forgive yer spite, an'
hope Lord woan' bring it back to ye ever. What's said can nawt be
helped. Come, Net.'

'You're a mean creature, Margery, to tell him that,' said one, after
they were gone. 'I expected to hear you tell him about the place his
girl's got. Lord! he's innocent as a baby about it, an' thinks she's on
the way up, while everybody else knows it, an' knows it's the way down.'

''Tis that,' said Margery, 'but I've that much decency that I didn't say
it. Let the old man take one thing at a time; he'll know it soon enough
when she fetches up at the bottom.'

'What did you want to trouble old Adam for?'

'Because I did!' cried the woman, with a sudden flash; 'because I like
to hurt people. _I've_ been struck, an' stabbed, an' bruised, an'
seared, an' people pointin' fingers at me, whose heart wasn't fouler'n
theirs, if my lips were. It's all cut an' slash in the world, an' the
only way to get on with pain when you're hit, is to hit somebody else.
I