“How’s the mash with the nigger servant?” asked Miss Jones, suddenly.  “Has he got a wife, Miss Marvin?  You’d better look out if he has!  You know Mag Brady isn’t the only jealous woman in creation!”

Faith looked at her steadily before she answered, and for a second the treacherous eyes wavered and Miss Jones felt decidedly uncomfortable.

“Neither Miss Brady nor any other woman has cause to be jealous of me,” said Faith, plainly.  “I have never wronged any human being, and I cannot understand, Miss Jones, why you insist upon taunting me!”

“Oh, don’t mind her, Miss Marvin, she can’t help it,” cried Miss Fairbanks.  “She’s been crossed in love, and it makes her spiteful!”

There was a shout from every girl that had heard the buyer’s words, and for once the tables were turned upon Faith’s tormentor.

At about ten o’clock several new clerks entered the department, Miss Fairbanks assigning them places and giving them their instructions.

“Now one of you girls can go to the cloak-room and rest for twenty minutes,” she said to Miss Jones and Faith.  “It’s Mr. Denton’s orders that you are not to be on your feet so steadily.”

“You go first,” said Faith, turning to Miss Jones, pleasantly.

The woman blushed a little and left the counter sullenly.

“Miss Fairbanks!” called Faith, as soon as she had disposed of several customers, “please come over here a minute; I want to speak to you!”

Miss Fairbanks came over and stood close by the counter.  She felt sure that Faith was about to confide about Miss Brady.

“Miss Fairbanks, I want you to help me,” the young girl whispered.  “I want you to help me get better acquainted with Miss Brady, and, if possible, show me a way to win her confidence.”

“For mercy’s sake, what for?” asked the buyer, in amazement.

“Simply to give me a chance to prove my innocence, for one thing; I want her to know that I never even had the desire to see Mr. James Denton, much less to flirt with him!”

“Is that true?” asked the buyer, gazing at Faith very seriously.

The color mounted swiftly to the cheeks and brow of the young girl, but, without turning her eyes, she answered: 

“It is quite true, Miss Fairbanks.”

“That would mean that we’d have to go to jail to see her,” said the buyer, slowly, “and I confess I’m not in love with that sort of visiting.”

“But surely it won’t harm us,” urged Faith, very eagerly.  “You go first, Miss Fairbanks, and tell her that I wish to see her; if I should go first, I’m afraid she wouldn’t see me.”

“Very well, I’ll do it,” said Miss Fairbanks, after a minute.  “I’m sorry for the girl, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.”

“Oh, thank you, Miss Fairbanks, and do try to make her see me!” cried Faith.  “I’m sure we can do some good, even if it is only by showing her that we love her.”