wrong," said Rose, dangerously quiet, "if you think I mean to
make a living in any other than a decent honest way. I have already
asked for work in five places on Main Street and I have been refused as
if I were the--sort of person you've just called me. I'm going to keep
on until I find somebody in this town who's clean enough minded to
recognize decency when he sees it. There are people like that, of
course, even in Centropolis. I didn't come in here to borrow money of
you, nor to ask for credit. I came to ask for a job as a waitress."

The proprietor stared at her. "Well," he said, "you are a new one on
John Culver. I never got up against _your_ game before."

"I haven't any game," said Rose. "I've told you the exact truth."

Culver twisted around uneasily in his chair and began biting
thoughtfully on the end of a lead-pencil.

"Well," he said at last, "I'll take a chance. I'll tell you about a job
I think you can get. Only it won't do you any good to use my name. If
the man you go to comes to me, I can't tell him anything about you but
what I know. His name's Albert Zeider and he's got a picture house three
doors down the street. He's just put in a glass cage out in front, and
he wants a pretty girl to sit in it and sell tickets. He hasn't been
able to get anybody yet that filled the bill. So maybe he'd take a
chance on you. Only, mind, don't tell him I recommended you."

"I won't," said Rose. "I won't go to him at all. I've walked the length
of Main Street and back this morning, and I won't sit in Mr. Zeider's
glass cage. I'll wash dishes or scrub floors, but I won't do that."

The proprietor flung out his hands with the air of a man of whom nothing
more could be expected.

"Well, then," he said, "if you won't take a decent job that's offered to
you ..."

"It's not a decent job," said Rose. "Not for me; not for a girl who's
looked on in this town as I am. I want work! Don't you understand?"
Then, after a pause, "Won't you give it to me?"

"Well, I should say not," said John Culver. "Look here! What's the use?
Suppose you are what you say ..."

"You know I am," interrupted Rose.

"Well, I say, suppose it's true. What's the use? Do you think any decent
store-keeper on Main Street would risk his reputation by giving a job to
a stranded actress that had come here with a rotten show like the one
you was with; or that I could have you in my dining-room? This is a
respectable hotel, I tell you."

He broke of