much, and I don't mind it, and it's company to me to have you."

And without more words they went out together, separating in the Harrow
Road.

On this morning Fan took a different route, and going south soon found
herself in wide, clean streets, among very big stuccoed and painted
houses. It was useless to seek for anything there, she thought, and yet
presently something happened in this place to put a new hope into her
heart. It was very early, and at some of the houses the cooks or kitchen-
maids were cleaning the doorsteps, and while passing one of these doors
she was accosted by the woman and asked if she would clean the steps. She
consented gladly enough, and received a penny in payment. Then she
remembered that she had often seen poor girls, ill-dressed as herself,
cleaning the steps of large houses, and had heard that the usual payment
was one penny for the task. After walking about for some time she began
timidly ringing the area bells of houses where the steps had not yet been
cleaned, and asking if a girl was wanted to do them. Almost invariably
she was sent away with an emphatic "No!" from a servant angry at being
disturbed; but twice again during that day she received a penny for step-
cleaning, so that she had earned threepence. After midday, finding she
could get no more work, and feeling faint with hunger, she bought a penny
loaf, and going to a shelter facing the fountains in Kensington Gardens,
made her modest dinner, and rested afterwards until it was time to return
to Dudley Grove.

In the evening as she sat by the fire after tea she gave an account of
her success, and exhibited the two remaining pence, offering them to the
poor woman who had sheltered her.