“Do you mean to say that this place is really unhealthy, and that the firm refuses to comply with the law on such matters?”

“I mean to say that Denton, Day & Co. comply with no law whatever except their own sweet will, and that is to overwork, underpay and bulldoze their employees and then kick them out at a minute’s notice.”

The girl spoke the words with apparent indifference.  Only a long-drawn sigh at their conclusion showed the inmost feeling on the subject.

Faith sprang to her feet with flashing eyes.

“Then that accounts for the haggard faces of the girls whom I have seen this morning!  Oh, we must do something at once to alter these conditions!  Our employers are but men; they must have hearts in their bosoms!”

“You don’t know them, Faith.”

It was Miss Jennings who spoke.  She was trying her best to conquer another fit of coughing.

“Our employers look upon us girls as so many machines, created for the sole purpose of filling their coffers, and it is this God whom you respect who allows them to abuse us! to grind us into the dust because we are helpless!”

The ring of bitterness in her tones appalled all who heard her except Faith, who threw her arms about her tenderly as she answered: 

“No, no, Mary!  Don’t say that!  You are mistaken, dear!  God is watching over us all with the tenderest love, and from this whirlwind of injustice He will yet reap a harvest of good!  I believe it!  I know it, and I shall live to see it!”

CHAPTER V.

The first insult.

As the young girl gave utterance to these words of prophecy her beautiful eyes were luminous with the fire of a noble purpose.  She drew her graceful form to its full height and her voice rang out like the peal of a bell, carrying the message of hope to all that heard it.

Before any one could think of answering, two gentlemen suddenly appeared in the doorway of the poorly lighted room.

When the saleswomen and cash girls saw them they almost stopped breathing, for the two men were the two senior members of the firm, who, for some reason or others, were going over the store together.

Both men stared at Faith in open amazement.  It was plain that they had overheard her words, and were surprised at such sentiments from the lips of a greenhorn “packer.”

Mr. Denton, a gray-haired man with a fairly benevolent face, seemed more disturbed than his partner over the extraordinary utterance, but as neither of them had heard what Miss Jennings had said, their surprise passed quickly and they began talking together.

“This is the room that they complain of,” said Mr. Day, with a contemptuous gesture.  “Those sneaking inspectors seem bent on making us as much trouble and expense as possible.”

Mr. Denton peered around the room, and even sniffed a little.