If Howard had not seen many such problems in economics before, he would
have been astonished at any one even hoping to be able to get two meals a
day, clothing and carfare out of two or three dollars a week. As it was, he
only wondered how long a girl who had been used at least to comfort would
endure this. "It's easy for the other girl," he thought, "because she's
used to it. But this one--" and he decided that the "trouble" would begin
as soon as her clothing was worn out.

He noticed that she was pulling at the third finger of her right hand where
she would have worn rings if she had had any. "You've had to pawn your
rings?" he ventured.

She looked at him startled. "Did Nellie tell you?" she asked.

"No," he replied, "I saw that you were missing your rings and suspected the
rest."

"Yes; that's so. I've pawned all my jewelry except a bracelet. Nellie can't
get along on her three dollars. She eats too much."

"I should think you'd rather be at home."

"As I told you before," she said impatiently, "anything's better than home.
Besides, I'm pretty well off. I go where I please, stay out as late as I
please and have all the company I want. At home I'd have to be in bed at
ten o'clock."

There was a sound at the front door down in the darkness. The girl started
from the chair, listened, then exclaimed: "There she comes now. And it's