The woman frowned as she answered.

Faith gave her address in a faltering voice. She had hoped to be able to
keep that a secret.

The woman wrote down the address on a piece of paper.

"A mother and father?" was the next brief question.

Faith's face was scarlet now, but she answered promptly.

"A mother, yes; but my father is dead. He was Douglass Marvin. He owned
a bookstore in this block. When Denton, Day & Co. opened their book
department my father was ruined."

The woman looked at her enviously as she asked the next question.

"How did you happen to come to this store to look for work? Don't you
resent the injury that was done to your father?"

In a second Faith Marvin's eyes filled with tears.

"Oh, no!" she cried hastily. "I bear no resentment! I know it is always
the weak who must suffer! I came here because I was desperately in need
of work. My mother's health is failing and we are penniless."

"Well, it's lucky you're so forgiving," said the woman with a peculiar
stare; "but come, you must report to Miss Fairbanks, the buyer in the
ribbon department! She's on the first floor. I'll take you to her."