"Then, there's to be a full hour at luncheon," continued the buyer after a minute, "and the best of all is that we are to have a new lunch-room. No more eating in that rat hole down in the basement." "Well, that is good news," said Miss Jones delightedly. "Really, I begin to think that the millennium is coming!" "Or the Kingdom of God," said Faith, very happily. "There is no doubt in my mind but that Mr. Denton has become a Christian." Both women stared at her as she spoke, but, for a wonder, neither of them scoffed at her statement. Miss Fairbanks recovered herself first and asked a very natural question. "What do you mean by saying that he has become a Christian? Why, Mr. Denton has been a member of the church ever since I can remember." "Alas!" sighed Faith sadly. "That doesn't always signify, Miss Fairbanks. He may have accepted Christ but not Christ's spirit; but it is plain now that the very essence of godliness is awakening within him. If this is so I can predict that there will be great changes in this store and that every one will be for the comfort of its toilers." A few customers coming in cut short the conversation, and as Maggie Brady was absent the department was short-handed, as usual, so that there was only an odd minute or two for idling. "I wonder if Miss Brady is ill?" said Faith as she squeezed by Miss Jones in the narrow space behind the counter. "It will go hard with her if she doesn't show up pretty soon," was the answer, "for between you and me, I believe Gunning hates her." "Oh, these dreadful hatreds," said Faith, with a sigh. "Poor Miss Brady looks so wretched. I don't see how any one can hate her." "Well, you see, she was engaged to Gunning once, and she might better have married him than to have thrown herself away on Jim Denton." Cash girl Number 83 came up as she spoke. She was the girl who had first told Faith that Mr. Watkins was very ill and in the hospital, and it was evident by her manner that she had something else to tell her. "What is it, 83?" asked Faith, expectantly. "Have you heard any news of Mr. Watkins' condition?" "Yes, and I've heard more'n that," said the little girl quickly, "but I won't spring it all on you at once, for it might shock you, Miss Marvin." Faith was puzzled at her words, but she tried to restrain her eagerness until the girl had given a package to a customer and come back to the counter. "Mr. Watkins is better--lots better," she said, gayly. "They say the boss has been to see him in his howling swell carriage, and they've fixed up the matter about the money all right; they must have, because Sammy Watkins is back in his old position." "Oh, that is lovely," cried Faith, clasping her hands together. "Well, the rest ain't so lovely!" said the cash girl, grinning, "for I saw Mag Brady on the street last night. She was drunk as a toper, and she says she's a-goin' to 'do' you!"