‘Delightful story!  Haven’t you an early-closing day?’

’They had before I went there; but only for about three months.  Then the agreement broke down.’

‘Like the assistants.  A pity the establishment doesn’t follow suit.’

’But you wouldn’t say so, Miss Nunn, if you knew how terribly hard it is for many girls to find a place, even now.’

’I know it perfectly well.  And I wish it were harder.  I wish girls fell down and died of hunger in the streets, instead of creeping to their garrets and the hospitals.  I should like to see their dead bodies collected together in some open place for the crowd to stare at.’

Monica gazed at her with wide eyes.

‘You mean, I suppose, that people would try to reform things.’

’Who knows?  Perhaps they might only congratulate each other that a few of the superfluous females had been struck off.  Do they give you any summer holiday?’

‘A week, with salary continued.’

’Really?  With salary continued?  That takes one’s breath away Are many of the girls ladies?’

’None, at Scotcher’s.  They nearly all come from the country.  Several are daughters of small farmers and those are dreadfully ignorant.  One of them asked me the other day in what country Africa was.’

‘You don’t find them very pleasant company?’

‘One or two are nice quiet girls.’

Rhoda drew a deep sigh, and moved with impatience.

’Well, don’t you think you’ve had about enough of it—­experience and all?’

‘I might go into a country business:  it would be easier.’

‘But you don’t care for the thought?’

’I wish now they had brought me up to something different.  Alice and Virginia were afraid of having me trained for a school; you remember that one of our sisters who went through it died of overwork.  And I’m not clever, Miss Nunn.  I never did much at school.’

Rhoda regarded her, smiling gently.

‘You have no inclination to study now?’

‘I’m afraid not,’ replied the other, looking away.  ’Certainly I should like to be better educated, but I don’t think I could study seriously, to earn my living by it.  The time for that has gone by.’

’Perhaps so.  But there are things you might manage.  No doubt your sister told you how I get my living.  There’s a good deal of employment for women who learn to use a typewriter.  Did you ever have piano lessons?’

‘No.’

’No more did I, and I was sorry for it when I went to typewriting.  The fingers have to be light and supple and quick.  Come with me, and I’ll show you one of the machines.’

They went to a room downstairs—­a bare little room by the library.  Here were two Remingtons, and Rhoda patiently explained their use.

’One must practise until one can do fifty words a minute at least.  I know one or two people who have reached almost twice that speed.  It takes a good six months’ work to learn for any profitable use.  Miss Barfoot takes pupils.’