“If the blessing of such a miserable wretch as myself could avail, I should bless her; but I can obey her. I will read, work and pray. But, oh! Roma! Roma! Roma! Where are you now? How are you now? Will you become reconciled to the love of that man who loved you enough to wreck his soul and my own for your sake? I must not think of it. That way, indeed, ‘madness lies.’ Who is my kind neighbor, I wonder? She came and ministered to me, and never told her name or asked mine. True Arabian kindness! The janitor downstairs said that she was a poor seamstress, who worked for the ready-made clothing department of a large store in Grand Street, and that she was a most respectable woman. To me she is only my neighbor, with a little gift of preaching. Well, I must be up and doing. I must go out and look for work.” He went to the water tank and filled his pitcher, and then washed his face and hands, brushed his hair, whisked his rough suit of clothes, and went down the four flights of stairs that led to the street door. Outside, he suddenly thought of Adler’s family, and determined to go to see them before going to seek work. But he had not walked half a block before he met Adler. “Well,” he said, “how is the wife, and how are the babies?” “All well and happy. Had the best breakfast of a month past off what was left of last night’s supper.” “I am glad to hear it,” said Harcourt, and he thought how little it took to make some people happy. “You certainly brought me luck, young boss,” said the man. “I am glad to hear that, also, if it is true; but I do not see how I could have done so.” “Why, my luck turned last night, when you picked me out of the very jaws of hell—first, in the shape of a good meal for self and wife and kids, the first of any sort we had in two days; then a good night’s rest for all, which came from satisfied hunger; then a good breakfast from the fragments that remained; then, early this morning, a message from my old boss to come to work on Rue Street. My boss is in the employment of a contractor who is pulling down a row of tenement houses in Rue Street, to put up a row of fine buildings for stores. They say these houses have been condemned by the commissioners, and now they have got to go. Turn around and walk with me, boss, and I’ll tell you all about it. You see, I am on my way to work, and want to get there in good time.” Harcourt turned about, and as they went on he asked his companion: “Do you think that I could get work on that same job?” “You, boss!” exclaimed Adler, stopping in his astonishment and gazing on the speaker. “Yes; I am looking for a job,” quietly replied Harcourt. “You—looking for a job—of that sort?” “Of any honest sort.” “But that is hard labor of the roughest and dirtiest—pulling down moldy and pestiferous old houses.” “No matter; I shall be glad to get it.” “Well, I am hit hard—hit harder than I ever was in my life!” “How so?”