But when she climbed to the third floor of one of the corner buildings, and, standing in the perpetual twilight of the landing-way, rang the bell of a door from which much of the paint had been scarred, she found that Thomasine did not live there. The door was opened by a gaunt, raw-boned woman. "Thomasine Dale? Did she live with Marietta Green and Jim?" "Yes. She is Jim's niece." "Well, she don't live here now." "May I see Jim or his wife?" "They don't live here neither." The door across the landing opened, and a stout woman in a checked apron looked out. "Was you looking for the Greens?" "Yes, please." "If you'll come in and set a minute, I'll tell you about them. I've got asthmy, and there's an awful draught comes up those steps." Hagar sat down in an orange plush rocking-chair and the stout woman, having removed her apron, took the green and purple sofa. "There now! I meant to mend that carpet!"--and she covered the hole with the sole of her shoe. "I am as fond as I can be of the Greens! Jim's a good man, and if Marietta wa'n't so delicate she'd manage better. The children are nice youngsters, too.... Well, I'm sorry they've gone, but Jim hurt his arm down in the Works and Marietta couldn't seem to get strong again after the last baby, and everybody's cutting wages when they ain't turning men off short, and Jim's turn come, for all he's always been good and sober and a good workman. First the Works hurt his arm, and then it said that he wasn't so useful now; and then it said that it had seen for a long time that it would have to economize, and the men could choose between cut wages or no wages at all, and Jim was one of them it said it to. So he had to take the cut." She began to cough and wheeze and then to pant for breath. "Did you--ever have--the asthmy? I'm--going off--with it--some day. Glass of water? Yes--next room--cup by the sink.... Thank you--child! You're real helpful.--What was I saying? Oh, yes--'t was Jim and Marietta and the children and Thomasine who had to economize." "Where are they gone?" asked Hagar sorrowfully. "It isn't so awful far from here. I'll give you the address. The car at the corner'll take you there pretty quick. But it ain't nowhere near so nice a neighbourhood or a house as this." She regarded her plush furniture and Nottingham curtains with pride. "Thomasine's an awful nice girl." "Yes," said Hagar. The tears came into her eyes. "I love Thomasine. I oughtn't to have waited so long before coming to find her, but I never thought of all this. It never entered my head." "She's got an awful good place, for a woman--nine dollars a week. She could have kept a room here, but she's awful fond of Jim and Marietta and the children, and she went with them. I reckon she'll help right sharp this winter--'less'n the stores take to cutting too."