With the wane of the afternoon went her hopes, her courage, andher strength. She had been astonishingly persistent. So earnestan effort was well deserving of a better reward. On every hand,to her fatigued senses, the great business portion grew larger,harder, more stolid in its indifference. It seemed as if it wasall closed to her, that the struggle was too fierce for her tohope to do anything at all. Men and women hurried by in long,shifting lines. She felt the flow of the tide of effort andinterest--felt her own helplessness without quite realising thewisp on the tide that she was. She cast about vainly for somepossible place to apply, but found no door which she had thecourage to enter. It would be the same thing all over. The oldhumiliation of her plea, rewarded by curt denial. Sick at heartand in body, she turned to the west, the direction of Minnie'sflat, which she had now fixed in mind, and began that wearisome,baffled retreat which the seeker for employment at nightfall toooften makes. In…