There seemed nothing they could talk about after Susie had given an account of the landlord's visit, and so they soon dropped asleep—Susie hoping that Ellie would tell her all about the sixpence the next day, and Elfie wishing Susie would soon forget all about it. A fresh disappointment as the next morning. She had resolved to get up early, and prepare a "real breakfast," that Elfie might have some before she went out. But Elfie woke first, and went off without waking her, or taking any of the bread that had been cut the night before; and, contrary to her usual practice, she stayed out the whole of the day. CHAPTER V. SAVED BY LOVE. SUSIE could not understand the alteration in Elfie, but altered she certainly was. Sometimes she would stay away for two or three days together, and then come home and be as affectionate as ever, and give Susie all the money she had been able to get; but she would never tell her how she got it or where she had been. Then, after staying about in the same neighbourhood, she would go off no one knew where, leaving Susie to lie listening for her to come home at night, and to feel very dull and lonely by herself. Poor Susie had other anxieties to trouble her, too, besides those she suffered on Elfie's account. Work was becoming scarce; and soon after the winter set in, she was told she had better look out for something else to do, as they could not give her the sewing much longer. "What shall I do—what can I do?" said Susie, when she told Elfie of this. "I must get some more money," said Elfie. "I daresay I can get enough for both of us, and then you need not do this work." "But can't I help you?" asked Susie. "I shouldn't like you to do everything." "You can't help me get money," said Elfie evasively. "Oh, I won't mind going into the market with you, if you'll ask the men to let me mind the baskets as well as you," said Susie. Elfie laughed. "You couldn't," she said. "Oh yes, I could—I would," added Susie. "I'd do anything to earn some money." "Could you fight the boys if they came to take the things?" asked Elfie. Susie shook her head, and looked greatly disappointed. "Oh, what can I do?" she said. "This is the last lot of shirts I shall have to make, and I must do something to earn some money." Elfie thought for a minute or two of all the means she had tried to earn money, but there was only one in which Susie was likely to succeed. "You might clean doorsteps," she said slowly. "Oh yes; mother taught me how to clean the hearth and scrub the floor," said Susie quickly. "Can you clean knives and forks as well?" asked Elfie. Susie nodded. "I know how to do all sorts of cleaning," she said. "I don't," said Elfie; "I can just clean steps. And so when the people asked me to clean the knives and forks, and I couldn't, they wouldn't let me do the steps. But if you can do all sorts of work, you can soon get some. I'll show you how to manage."