to get a place as a lady's-maid at twenty-five pounds a year--at
Scotcher's she had fifteen. But we heard that she burst a
blood-vessel, and now she's in the hospital at Brompton.'

'Delightful story! Haven't you an early-closing day?'

'They had before I went there; but only for about three months. Then
the agreement broke down.'

'Like the assistants. A pity the establishment doesn't follow suit.'

'But you wouldn't say so, Miss Nunn, if you knew how terribly hard
it is for many girls to find a place, even now.'

'I know it perfectly well. And I wish it were harder. I wish girls
fell down and died of hunger in the streets, instead of creeping to
their garrets and the hospitals. I should like to see their dead
bodies collected together in some open place for the crowd to stare
at.'

Monica gazed at her with wide eyes.

'You mean, I suppose, that people would try to reform things.'

'Who knows? Perhaps they might only congratulate each other that a
few of the superfluous females had been struck off. Do they give you
any summer holiday?'

'A week, with salary continued.'