For Gold or Soul?

by Lurana Sheldon

  CHAPTER III.

  A GLIMPSE OF THE DARKNESS.

  When Faith Marvin reached the employees' entrance of Denton, Day & Co.'sdepartment store the next morning at half-past seven, she was shown intoa room that was a sort of cloak-room, lunch-room and lavatory combined,in the basement of the building.

  The place was poorly lighted and badly ventilated, and there were fullytwo hundred women and girls crowding and jostling each other while theyhung up their wraps and put on false sleeves and black aprons.

  For a while the din was confusing, but Faith soon began to see and heardistinctly.

  She was amazed and then horrified at the snatches of conversation sheheard. Even a little cash girl used language that was almost profanity,and others made remarks of a most heartless nature.

  Here and there Faith saw a face that looked different from the rest.They were mostly pale, pinched faces, bearing deep lines of care, butthey all looked stolid, hardened and indifferent.

  "I suppose it's the hard work and worry," whispered Faith,involuntarily. Just then she felt some one tapping her smartly on theshoulder.

  She turned quickly and confronted a woman about her own height, who hadthe sharpest pair of eyes that Faith ever remembered seeing.

  "Is this Faith Marvin?"

  The woman spoke softly, but her voice was cold and metallic.

  "It is," answered Faith. "I was told to come this morning. Can you giveme any information as to where I am to go? I see the others are allhurrying upstairs, but there is no one to direct me."

  The woman had not taken her eyes from Faith's face while the young girlwas talking. She seemed to be scanning her features with more thanordinary curiosity.

  "Where do you live?"

  The question was asked by the woman in a business-like manner, but asFaith hesitated before answering the sharp eyes twinkled a little.

  "Am I obliged to give my address?" asked Faith very slowly.

  "Certainly--it's the rule of the house."

  The woman frowned as she answered.

  Faith gave her address in a faltering voice. She had hoped to be able tokeep that a secret.

  The woman wrote down the address on a piece of paper.

  "A mother and father?" was the next brief question.

  Faith's face was scarlet now, but she answered promptly.

  "A mother, yes; but my father is dead. He was Douglass Marvin. He owneda bookstore in this block. When Denton, Day & Co. opened their bookdepartment my father was ruined."

  The woman looked at her enviously as she asked the next question.

  "How did you happen to come to this store to look for work? Don't youresent the injury that was done to your father?"

  In a second Faith Marvin's eyes filled with tears.

  "Oh, no!" she cried hastily. "I bear no resentment! I know it is alwaysthe weak who must suffer! I came here because I was desperately in needof work. My mother's health is failing and we are penniless."

  "Well, it's lucky you're so forgiving," said the woman with a peculiarstare; "but come, you must report to Miss Fairbanks, the buyer in theribbon department! She's on the first floor. I'll take you to her."

  Miss Fairbanks looked Faith over almost as sharply as the other womanhad done.

  She was short-handed that morning, so there was no time forpreliminaries.

  "Ever work in a store before?" was her first business-like question.

  "No, madam," said Faith timidly; "I have had no experience at all, butI am sure I shall learn quickly if you will be so kind as to teach me."

  She was beginning to tremble a little for fear the woman would not tryher.

  "Oh, I guess you'll do if you are not too stuck up," said the buyercarelessly. "Girls who have never worked in a store always think theyknow it all, and that sort of thing doesn't go, not in my department!"

  She led Faith up to one of the gates at the ribbon counter and showedher how to crawl up to the packer's desk above the shelves, where thestock was kept.

  "Now, when one of the saleswomen hands you up a check and some ribbonyou must measure the ribbon carefully to see that the firm is not beingcheated," she explained in a shrill voice, "and if one of the girlsmakes a mistake report it to me immediately."

  Faith was up by this time and trying to accommodate herself to theawkward position, while she listened intently to all the buyer'sinstructions.

  The packer's desk was so low that it cramped her limbs even in sitting,and Faith soon saw that she was older and larger than any other girl inthat position on the floor.

  This fact alone made her feel awkward and uncomfortable, and when shesaw one of the clerks looking up at her and tittering she blushed andnearly cried through sheer embarrassment. To add to her nervousness shesoon noticed that two men, who were standing in one of the aisles, werewatching her every movement for some reason or other. She was thankfulwhen the checks and goods began to come up. It was a relief to keep hereyes on the different packages.

  Faith had never had much experience in doing up parcels, but she managedvery nicely after her hands stopped trembling.

  Long before noon she was aching in every muscle. The dust that rose fromthe floor was irritating her throat and the store was so hot that herhead was aching.

  She looked down at the clerks, who had been on their feet steadily sinceeight o'clock, and began to understand the callousness of theirexpressions. A great throb of pity for them, rather than for herself,dimmed her eyes for an instant so that she could not see her packages.

  During that first few hours Faith could not help noticing how oftenNumber 89 sent up goods to be wrapped. There were double as many salesto her credit as to any of the others at the counter, and at a leisuremoment she leaned over and looked down at her.

  Just as she did so Number 89 was seized with a fit of coughing. It wasover in a minute, but was extremely severe while it lasted.

  In spite of herself Faith could not resist glancing at her often, andonce when she caught her eye she smiled at her pleasantly.

  The effect was magical.

  Number 89 soon handed up a check and three yards of ribbon, and as theirhands met over the goods she caught and squeezed the "packer's" littlefinger.

  "I'm sorry you have such a cough!"

  Faith whispered the words quickly.

  Number 89 was about to reply when Miss Fairbanks, the buyer, passed thecounter.

  "No loitering, Miss Jennings! Don't you see there are customers waiting?Forward at once! And you, packer, attend to business! I see you havegoods in your hands. Wrap them up this minute!"