An office boy approached her.

"Who is it you wish to see?" he asked.

"I want to see the manager," she said.
He ran away and spoke to one of a group of three men who were
conferring together. One of these came towards her.

"Well?" he said coldly. The greeting drove all courage from her
at once.

"Do you need any help?" she stammered.

"No," he replied abruptly, and turned upon his heel.

She went foolishly out, the office boy deferentially swinging the
door for her, and gladly sank into the obscuring crowd. It was a
severe setback to her recently pleased mental state.

Now she walked quite aimlessly for a time, turning here and
there, seeing one great company after another, but finding no
courage to prosecute her single inquiry. High noon came, and with
it hunger. She hunted out an unassuming restaurant and entered,
but was disturbed to find that the prices were exorbitant for the
size of her purse. A bowl of soup was all that she could afford,
and, with this quickly eaten, she went out again. It restored
her strength somewhat and made her moderately bold to pursue the
search.

In walking a few blocks to fix upon some probable place, she