"Now how long have you been looking for it ?" "A month," said the girl without reflection, and Alton nodded as though in answer to some question he had put to himself.
"And when you went into that place this morning there was nothing again ?" he said.
"No," said Miss Townshead, with a trace of despondency she could not quite conceal.

"There was a post vacant, but it had some trust attached to it, and nobody knows me." Now while he talked Alton's eyes had been busy, and he had noticed a curious weariness which he had not seen before in his companion's face.
Her fingers, which had grown white, were also very slender, and the well-worn dress, which he remembered, did not seem to hang about her as it had done.

Her eyes, however, were brighter, and now and then a little florid colour flushed her cheeks, but that did not please him, for Alton had seen not a little of want and hunger in the snows of the North.
"You mean they want security ?" said he.
"Yes," said Miss Townshead hastily.

"Still, one of the girls I met at the school told me there was somebody wanted at a big dry goods store, and I think I had better go round and see the people now." Alton rose, and when they went out together gravely held out his hand.
"We used to be good friends, and you were kind to me," said he.

"Now is there nothing that I can do ?" "No," said Miss Townshead hastily.