to the payment of the meagre sum she had earned by a full week of
hard labor, prolonged often to a late hour in the night. She had
stood thus, meekly, for nearly five minutes, when Berlaps raised his
head, and looking at her sternly over the top of his desk, said--

"What are you waiting for, Mrs. Gaston?"

"I should like to have the money for the pants I have brought in. I
am out of every"--

"I never pay until the whole job is done. Bring in the other pair,
and you can have your money."

"Yes; but Mr. Berlaps"--

"You needn't talk any thing about it, madam. "You have my say," was
the tailor's angry response.

Slowly turning away, the woman moved, with hesitating steps, to the
door, paused there a moment, and then went out. She lingered along,
evidently undecided how to act, for several minutes, and then moved
on at a quicker pace, as if doubt and uncertainty had given way to
some encouraging thought. Threading her way along the narrow winding
streets in the lower part of the city, she soon emerged into the
open space used as a hay market, and, crossing over this, took her
way in the direction of one of the bridges. Before reaching this,
she turned down toward the right, and entered a small grocery. A
woman was the only attendant upon this.

"Won't you trust me for a little more, Mrs. Grubb?" she asked, in a