"I do not consider it exactly healthy down here," he said, slowly, "but
of course you know best, Mr. Day; you have charge of that department. I
should not dream of interfering. I know you will do your duty."

"Certainly, certainly," said Mr. Day, promptly. He was a short, stout
man, and exceedingly curt and pompous.

"I consider it quite healthy enough for our purpose, Mr. Denton; for
what do our salespeople know of modern sanitary improvements?"

"That is so," replied Mr. Denton, with a smile of satisfaction. "What do
they know, indeed? Why, they are nearly all of them from the garrets of
some tenement or other. They have never been accustomed to anything
better, nor perhaps half as comfortable."

They passed out of the room, leaving Faith almost speechless with
horror.

In her whole life she had never dreamed of such cowardly injustice.

"Now you know that I am right, Faith," Miss Jennings remarked, with a
harsh laugh. "Now you have seen for yourself what we have to expect from
our employers."

"They look on us as a lot of rats from some garret or other," added the
clerk who had spoken so bitterly before. "But, time's up; we must go
back and take in some more money for the darlings."

Faith stifled a sob as she took Miss Jennings' arm and started upstairs.
She was pained and disgusted, but by no means discouraged.