“The young ladies from here appear to be prosperous,” Ware remarked.  “I watched them last night coming out.  My friend happened to be late, and I had to leave without seeing her.”

“That’s nothing to go by, their clothes ain’t,” the man replied.  “They spend all their money on their backs instead of putting it inside.  If it’s Miss Grimes you’re waiting for, you’re in luck, for here she is, first out.”

Philip drew a little into the background.  The girl came down the stone passage, passed the timekeeper without appearing to notice his familiar “Good-evening!” and stepped out into the murky street.  Philip, who saw her face as she emerged from the gloom, gave a little start.  She seemed paler than ever, and she walked with her eyes fixed upon vacancy, as though almost unconscious of her whereabouts.  She crossed the sidewalk without noticing the curbstone, and stumbled at the unexpected depth of it.  Philip stepped hastily forward.

“Miss Grimes!” he exclaimed.  “Martha!...  Why do you look at me as though I were a ghost?”

She started violently.  It was certain that she saw him then for the first time.

“You!  Mr. Ware!  Sorry, I didn’t see you.”

He insisted upon shaking hands.  There was a little streak of colour in her cheeks now.

“I came to meet you,” he explained.  “I came yesterday and missed you.  I have been to your rooms four times and only found out with difficulty where you were working.  The last time I called, I rang the bell six times, but the door was locked.”

“I was in bed,” she said shortly.  “I can’t have gentlemen callers there at all now.  Father’s gone off on tour.  Thank you for coming to meet me, but I don’t think you’d better stop.”

“Why not?” he asked gently.

“Because I don’t want to be seen about with you,” she declared, “because I don’t want you to look at me, because I want you to leave me alone,” she added, with a little passionate choke in her voice.

He turned and walked by her side.

“Martha,” he said, “you were very kind to me when I needed it, you were a companion to me when I was more miserable than I ever thought any human being could be.  I was in a quandary then—­in a very difficult position.  I took a plunge.  In a way I have been successful.”

“Oh, we all know that!” she replied bitterly.  “Pictures everywhere, notices in the paper all the time—­you and your fine play!  I’ve seen it.  Didn’t think much of it myself, but I suppose I’m not a judge.”

“Tell me why you came out there looking as though you’d seen a ghost?” he asked.

“Discharged,” she answered promptly.

“Why?”

“Fainted yesterday,” she went on, “and was a bit wobbly to-day.  The head clerk said he wanted some one stronger.”

“Brute!” Philip muttered.  “Well, that’s all right, Martha.  I have some work for you.”

“Don’t want to do your work.”