These little expeditions took up her time until quite four o’clock, when she was weary enough to go home.  She felt as if she ought to continue and inquire elsewhere, but the results so far were too dispiriting.  She took the car and arrived at Ogden Place in three-quarters of an hour, but decided to ride on to the West Side branch of the Post-office, where she was accustomed to receive Hurstwood’s letters.  There was one there now, written Saturday, which she tore open and read with mingled feelings.  There was so much warmth in it and such tense complaint at her having failed to meet him, and her subsequent silence, that she rather pitied the man.  That he loved her was evident enough.  That he had wished and dared to do so, married as he was, was the evil.  She felt as if the thing deserved an answer, and consequently decided that she would write and let him know that she knew of his married state and was justly incensed at his deception.  She would tell him that it was all over between them.

At her room, the wording of this missive occupied her for some time, for she fell to the task at once.  It was most difficult.

“You do not need to have me explain why I did not meet you,” she wrote in part.  “How could you deceive me so?  You cannot expect me to have anything more to do with you.  I wouldn’t under any circumstances.  Oh, how could you act so?” she added in a burst of feeling.  “You have caused me more misery than you can think.  I hope you will get over your infatuation for me.  We must not meet any more.  Good-bye.”

She took the letter the next morning, and at the corner dropped it reluctantly into the letter-box, still uncertain as to whether she should do so or not.  Then she took the car and went down town.

This was the dull season with the department stores, but she was listened to with more consideration than was usually accorded to young women applicants, owing to her neat and attractive appearance.  She was asked the same old questions with which she was already familiar.

“What can you do?  Have you ever worked in a retail store before?  Are you experienced?”

At The Fair, See and Company’s, and all the great stores it was much the same.  It was the dull season, she might come in a little later, possibly they would like to have her.

When she arrived at the house at the end of the day, weary and disheartened, she discovered that Drouet had been there.  His umbrella and light overcoat were gone.  She thought she missed other things, but could not be sure.  Everything had not been taken.

So his going was crystallizing into staying.  What was she to do now?  Evidently she would be facing the world in the same old way within a day or two.  Her clothes would get poor.  She put her two hands together in her customary expressive way and pressed her fingers.  Large tears gathered in her eyes and broke hot across her cheeks.  She was alone, very much alone.