? ? ? ? She beamed upon him through her terror-filled eyes, and the pathos of it cut me to the heart. I felt that I must in some way break in and lead the conversation into other channels.
? ? ? ? 'Have you ever earned a dollar by your own labor?' he demanded, certain of her answer, a triumphant vindictiveness in his voice.
? ? ? ? 'Yes, I have,' she answered slowly, and I could have laughed aloud at his crestfallen visage. 'I remember my father giving me a dollar once, when I was a little girl, for remaining absolutely quiet for five minutes.'
? ? ? ? He smiled indulgently.
? ? ? ? 'But that was long ago,' she continued. 'And you would scarcely demand a little girl of nine to earn her own living. At present, however,' she said, after another slight pause, 'I earn about eighteen hundred dollars a year.'
? ? ? ? With one accord all eyes left the plates and settled on her. A woman who earned eighteen hundred dollars a year was worth looking at.
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