“My goodness!  You don’t love her, do you, Miss Marvin?  Why, from all accounts the girl intended to kill you!”

“Nevertheless, I love her—­in a way,” said Faith.  “I can’t forget entirely that she is only an erring sister.”

“Well, you are a good girl, if ever there lived one,” said Miss Fairbanks.  “You are teaching me a whole lot about practical Christianity.”

“Goodness, that which is not practical—­is poor stuff,” said Faith, bitterly.  “I wouldn’t be a hypocrite for all the world, and that is exactly what sham goodness amounts to; still, I don’t mean to say, Miss Fairbanks, that I’ve always lived up to what I knew was my duty!  I’ve made lots of mistakes, but I was always sorry!”

She sighed a little as she turned away, but her sadness soon changed to smiles as she saw Miss Dean standing beside her counter.

“How do you do, Miss Marvin?” asked the lady inspector, cordially.  “I am delighted to see you again, for I was afraid I was never going to!  Business is so very brisk,” she said, laughingly, as she saw Faith’s questioning expression.  “Why, I’m up to my ears in modern improvements!  I’m a carpenter, an engineer and a full-fledged plumber!”

“Do you have to know a lot about all such things?” asked Faith.

“Well, not a lot, exactly, but just enough.  We have to know when stores are lacking in either of the things mentioned.”

“There have been many changes since you were here,” said Faith, slyly.  “We have a new cloak-room now; you just ought to see it!”

“Oh, I have seen it, you can be sure!” said the lady, dryly.  “I’ve been up there sniffing around and inspecting every corner, and I’m glad to say that I quite approve of it.”

They both laughed heartily, but Faith was not quite satisfied.

“Can you see any changes that you did not suggest.  Miss Dean?” she asked, a little timidly.  “Are there no improvements that look to you like radical reforms, suggested by the divine spirit of love for humanity?”

“Not one!” said Miss Dean, promptly.  “I see nothing of the sort!  There are no changes here that could not have been effected by the law of common decency!  I should feel sorry to think that a man could not do what was right without a divine suggestion.  It would speak ill of his sense of honor or justice toward humanity.”

She paused a moment and then began speaking more slowly.  There was no resentment in her tones; she was merely reasoning the situation.

“I can see that the firm of Denton, Day & Co. has come to a crisis in its business career, owing to the illogical stand recently taken by one of its members.  From a paying investment it has turned into a philanthropical institution, and so long as it can live as such it will be a great benefit to hundreds.  Further than this, I hear that one man has made an unjust fortune by withdrawing from the firm and that another partner is watching like an