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secretly he had always regarded his eldest daughter as the chosen vessel for
their redemption。
〃Well； I swan！〃 he exclaimed； staring at her in admiration and neglecting his
pie； 〃I've always thought you had it in you to get on； Janet。 I guess I've
told you you've always put me in mind of Eliza Bumpusthe one that held out
against the Indians till her husband came back with the neighbours。 I was just
reading about her again the other night。〃
〃Yes； you've told us； Edward；〃 said Hannah。
〃She had gumption；〃 he went on； undismayed。 〃And from what I can gather of her
looks I calculate you favour hershe was dark and not so very tallnot so
tall as you； I guess。 So you're goin'〃 （he pronounced it very slowly） 〃you're
goin' to be Mr。 Ditmar's private stenographer！ He's a smart man； Mr。 Ditmar；
he's a good man； too。 All you've got to do is to behave right by him。 He
always speaks to me when he passes by the gate。 I was sorry for him when his
wife dieda young woman； too。 And he's never married again！ Well； I swan！〃
〃You'd better quit swanning；〃 exclaimed Hannah。 〃And what's Mr。 Ditmar's
goodness got to do with it？ He's found…out Janet has sense； she's willing and
hard working； he won't〃 （pronounced want） 〃he won't be the loser by it； and
he's not giving her what he gave Miss Ottway。 It's just like you； thinking
he's doing her a good turn。〃
〃I'm not saying Janet isn't smart；〃 he protested； 〃but I know it's hard to get
work with so many folks after every job。〃
〃Maybe it ain't so hard when you've got some get…up and go；〃 Hannah retorted
rather cruelly。 It was thus characteristically and with unintentional
sharpness she expressed her maternal pride by a reflection not only upon
Edward； but Lise also。 Janet had grown warm at the mention of Ditmar's name。
〃It was Miss Ottway who recommended me；〃 she said； glancing at her sister； who
during this conversation had sat in silence。 Lise's expression； normally
suggestive of a discontent not unbecoming to her type； had grown almost sullen。
Hannah's brisk gathering up of the dishes was suddenly arrested。
〃Lise； why don't you say something to your sister？ Ain't you glad she's got
the place？〃
〃Sure； I'm glad；〃 said Lise； and began to unscrew the top of the salt shaker。
〃I don't see why I couldn't get a raise； too。 I work just as hard as she
does。〃
Edward； who had never got a 〃raise〃 in his life； was smitten with compunction
and sympathy。
〃Give 'em time； Lise；〃 he said consolingly。 〃You ain't so old as Janet。〃
〃Time！〃 she cried； flaring up and suddenly losing her control。 〃I've got a
picture of Waiters giving me a raise I know the girls that get raises from
him。〃
〃You ought to be ashamed of yourself；〃 Hannah declared。 〃Thereyou've spilled
the salt！〃
But Lise； suddenly bursting into tears； got up and left the room。 Edward
picked up the Banner and pretended to read it； while Janet collected the salt
and put it back into the shaker。 Hannah； gathering up the rest of the dishes；
disappeared into the kitchen； but presently returned； as though she had
forgotten something。
〃Hadn't you better go after her？〃 she said to Janet。
〃I'm afraid it won't be any use。 She's got sort of queer； latelyshe thinks
they're down on her。〃
〃I'm sorry I spoke so sharp。 But then〃 Hannah shook her head； and her
sentence remained unfinished。
Janet sought her sister； but returned after a brief interval； with the news
that Lise had gone out。
One of the delights of friendship； as is well known； is the exchange of
confidences of joy or sorrow； but there was； in Janet's promotion； something
intensely personal to increase her natural reserve。 Her feelings toward Ditmar
were so mingled as to defy analysis； and several days went by before she could
bring herself to inform Eda Rawle of the new business relationship in which she
stood to the agent of the Chippering Mill。 The sky was still bright as they
walked out Warren Street after supper； Eda bewailing the trials of the day just
ended： Mr。 Frye； the cashier of the bank； had had one of his cantankerous fits；
had found fault with her punctuation； nothing she had done had pleased him。
But presently； when they had come to what the Banner called the 〃residential
district；〃 she was cheered by the sight of the green lawns； the flowerbeds and
shrubbery； the mansions of those inhabitants of Hampton unfamiliar with
boardinghouses and tenements。 Before one of these she paused； retaining Janet
by the arm； exclaiming wistfully：
〃Wouldn't you like to live there？ That belongs to your boss。〃
Janet； who had been dreaming as she gazed at the fagade of rough stucco that
once had sufficed to fill the ambitions of the late Mrs。 Ditmar； recognized it
as soon as Eda spoke； and dragged her friend hastily； almost roughly along the
sidewalk until they had reached the end of the block。 Janet was red。
〃What's the matter？〃 demanded Eda； as soon as she had recovered from her
surprise。
〃Nothing；〃 said Janet。 〃OnlyI'm in his office。〃
〃But what of it？ You've got a right to look at his house； haven't you？〃
〃Why yes；a right；〃 Janet assented。 Knowing Eda's ambitions for her were not
those of a business career； she was in terror lest her friend should scent a
romance； and for this reason she had never spoken of the symptoms Ditmar had
betrayed。 She attempted to convey to Eda the doubtful taste of staring point…
blank at the house of one's employer； especially when he might be concealed
behind a curtain。
〃You see；〃 she added； 〃Miss Ottway's recommended me for her placeshe's going
away。〃
〃Janet！〃 cried Eda。 〃Why didn't you tell me？〃
〃Well；〃 said Janet guiltily； 〃it's only a trial。 I don't know whether he'll
keep me or not。〃
〃Of course he'll keep you；〃 said Eda； warmly。 〃If that isn't just like you；
not saying a word about it。 Gee； if I'd had a raise like that I just couldn't
wait to tell you。 But then； I'm not smart like you。〃
〃Don't be silly；〃 said Janet； out of humour with herself； and annoyed because
she could not then appreciate Eda's generosity。
〃We've just got to celebrate！〃 declared Eda； who had the gift； which Janet
lacked； of taking her joys vicariously； and her romantic and somewhat medieval
proclivities would permit no such momentous occasion to pass without an
appropriate festal symbol。 〃We'll have a spree on Saturdaythe circus is
coming then。〃
〃It'll be my spree；〃 insisted Janet； her heart warming。 〃I've got the
raise。。。。〃
On Saturday； accordingly； they met at Grady's for lunch； Eda attired in her
best blouse of pale blue； and when they emerged from the restaurant； despite
the torrid heat； she beheld Faber Street as in holiday garb as they made their
way to the cool recesses of Winterhalter's to complete the feast。 That
glorified drug…store with the five bays included in its manifold functions a
department rivalling Delmonico's； with electric fans and marble…topped tables
and white…clad waiters who took one's order and filled it at the soda fountain。
It mattered little to Eda that the young man awaiting their commands had
pimples and long hair and grinned affectionately as he greeted them。
〃Hello； girls！〃 he said。 〃What strikes you to…day？〃
〃Me for a raspberry nut sundae；〃 announced Eda； and Janet； being unable to
imagine any more delectable confection； assented。 The penetrating odour
peculiar to drugstores； dominated by menthol and some unnamable but ancient
remedy for catarrh； was powerless to interfere with their enjoyment。
The circus began at two。 Rather than cling to the straps of a crowded car they
chose to walk； following the familiar route of the trolley past the car barns
and the base…ball park to the bare field under the seared face of Torrey's
Hill； where circuses were wont to settle。 A sirocco…like breeze from the
southwest whirled into eddies the clouds of germladen dust stirred up by the
automobiles； blowing their skirts against their legs； and sometimes they were
forced to turn； clinging to their hats； confused and giggling； conscious of
male glances。 The crowd； increasing as they proceeded； was in holiday mood；
young men with a newly…washed aspect； in Faber Street suits； chaffed
boisterously groups of girls； who retorted with shrill cries and shrieks of
laughter； amorous couples strolled； arm in arm； oblivious； as though the place
were as empty as Eden； lady…killers with exaggerated square shoulders； wearing
bright neckties； their predatory instincts alert； hovered about in eager search
of adventure。 There were men…killers； too； usually to be found in pairs； in
startling costumes they had been persuaded were the latest Paris models；
imitations of French cocottes in Hampton； proof of the smallness of our modern
world。 Eda regarded them superciliously。
〃They'd like you to think they'd never been near a loom or a bobbin！〃 she
exclaimed。
In addition to these more conspicuous elements； the crowd contained sober
operatives of the skilled sort possessed of sufficient means to bring hither
their families； including the baby； there were section…hands and foremen；
slashers； mule spinners； beamers； French…Canadians； Irish； Scotch； Welsh and
English； Germans； with onl