Notwithstanding her loneliness on the night of her arrival, after the noise and din of the day, she would gladly have remained in that quiet room, but she knew her purse would not permit of it; so, after paying the clerk, she ordered a carriage and proceeded to the factory boarding-house, which was to be her home for the present. CHAPTER VIII AN ADVENTURE The days passed slowly by, and Brownie became more and more accustomed to her work. Before the week was out, she found, by diligent application, that she could earn seventy-five cents a day, and during the next week her earnings gradually crept up to a dollar a day. She became quite hopeful after this, for her nature was naturally buoyant, and she was one who would not readily give up an undertaking, for the spirit of the Douglas was strong within her. She began to feel very independent, too, and she really enjoyed the feeling that she was able to take care of herself. To be sure, her earnings at the most were only six dollars a week. Three and a half of these were paid out for her board and lodging, and another dollar for washing, leaving her only a dollar and a half for other needs. But she still had the two hundred dollars which she had received from Mr. Conrad, and her wardrobe was amply supplied for a year or two, so that she had no fears but that she could live, at least until some better position should be offered her. She hoped in time to find a situation as teacher. Had it not been for that dreadful boarding-house, with its noise, its small, close rooms, and its ill-cooked fare, she would have been comparatively content, for she had made the acquaintance of one or two young girls who were refined and intelligent like herself, and who, too, had been suddenly reduced from affluence to poverty. Mattie Burnham was the name of the young girl who had been so kind to Brownie on that first day of her life in the factory, and soon, by her gentleness and refinement, won a warm place in her heart. Both of the young girls were extremely fond of reading. One evening they issued forth, arm in arm, and wended their way to a public library to exchange their books, and to look over the new periodicals in the reading-room connected with it. They exchanged their books, and then proceeding to the reading-room, seated themselves in a cosy corner, and were soon deeply interested in the various reading matter which lay scattered about upon the tables. They read for an hour or more, then Mattie, suddenly glancing up at the clock, asked: “Meta, do you know what time it is?” “No,” absently. “It is half-past eight.” “Is it?” and Brownie’s eager eyes were not even raised from her book; she scarce heeded what her friend was saying. “What have you there that is so interesting?” demanded Mattie, after watching her in silence for a few minutes.