“Oh, your future life, my love, will be far from dull and blinking!”

And this mood lasted for two weeks.  Then as her hand grew more expert, and she scanned the papers for information of employment bureaus, there came some ugly hours when much pounding was required.  She went out and tramped the streets, meeting the town with angry eyes that struggled for self-confidence.  And twice, although she had dressed herself with a keen and vigilant eye to her own attractiveness and had gone to the bureau she had selected, with a sinking heart she turned back from the door.  But the second time, after leaving, with a scowl she faced about, went back and marched into the office.  And a little later when she emerged, her face had a stunned and dazed expression.  She still could not believe it!  For the woman in charge, after one sharp look and a number of questions, had remarked: 

“Why, yes, I think we can place you.  I’ve one position waiting right now.”  There had been more questioning, but this had seemed rather perfunctory.  The woman had not appeared to care very much that Ethel had only one reference—­from the old minister back at home; and the brief exhibition of her skill which Ethel gave upon a machine, with her fingers excited, cold and tense, had lasted but a minute or two when the woman had said, “Yes, that will do.”

Ethel scowled as she tried to remember it all.  There had been one flaw.  What was it?

“Oh, yes, she warned me about men.”  And here Ethel gave a sharp little laugh, with a lump of excitement in her throat.  “Well, I think I can handle myself on that point.”  She recalled with assurance recollections—­and there had been not a few—­of youths at home who had tried to “get fresh,” and had soon been shown where they got off!

She was walking very rapidly toward a subway station, and soon she was on her way downtown.

“Yes, my dear, I’m sorry to say that it isn’t your skill, it is your face that has got you this chance.  All right, Face, thank you very much.  If you’ll just keep steady, eyes easy and cool, jaw firm but not too ugly.” . . .`

And when a few minutes later she was shown into the private office of her future employer, she almost laughed in his fat round face—­so absurd in that first moment did all her little qualms appear.

“He’s forty and he loves his meals.”

And she answered his questions so blithely, with such an anxious friendliness, that the dumpy man who sat at the desk was plainly attracted and easily caught.  In fact, in his heavy-lidded eyes and about his thick lips came a look which repelled her a little.  “I shouldn’t wonder if even you might get feeling young again,” she thought to herself disgustedly.  “But I guess I can attend to that!”

“Yes, sir, fifteen dollars a week,” she was saying meanwhile in a firm brisk tone of voice.  “Of course I know it’s just a trial, but I’ll do my best, I promise you.”