"Of course he has," Danny agreed. "And, Rosie dear, I'm consumed with impatience to hear the outcome of your conference. You won't fail to stop in and tell me about it tomorrow--promise me that!" Rosie promised. She bid her old friend good-bye and left him, her mind already full of the things she would say to George Riley. CHAPTER XXVI ELLEN "I don't know what's keepin' poor Ellen," Mrs. O'Brien remarked as the family gathered at supper that evening. "They're awful busy at them down-town offices, I'm thinkin'. Ellen was expectin' to be home at six o'clock sharp but something important must have come in and they need her. Ah, say what you will, a poor girl's got to work mighty hard these days." "Huh!" grunted Terry. There was a slam at the front door, at sound of which Mrs. O'Brien's face lighted up. "Ah, there she is now, the poor dear!" Yes, it was Ellen. She swept at once into the kitchen and stood a moment glowering on the family with all the blackness of a storm-cloud. Then, without a word, she flung herself into a chair. "Why, Ellen dear," her mother gasped, "what's ailin' you?" Beyond twitching her shoulders impatiently, Ellen made no answer. "How do you do, Ellen?" Rosie spoke formally, in the tone of one not at all certain as to how her own civility would be received. Ellen glanced at her sharply. "Huh! So you're back, are you?" "Ellen, Ellen," Mrs. O'Brien cried reprovingly, "is that the way you talk to poor little Rosie and her just in from the country? And she brought you two nice dressed chickens and a basket of fine fresh vegetables and a box----" Ellen cut her mother short with an impatient, "Aw, Ma, you dry up!" "What's the matter, Ellen?" Terry drawled out. "Lost your job?" For answer Ellen snatched off her hat and flung it angrily into the corner. "Ellen, Ellen!" Mrs. O'Brien cried. "Your new hat!" She started forward to rescue the hat, then paused as the significance of Terry's question reached her understanding. Her fluttering hands fell limp, her face took on an expression at once scared and appealing. "Oh, Ellen dear, you haven't lost your job, have you? Don't tell me you've lost your job!" Ellen scowled at her mother darkly. "You bet your life I've lost my job! I wouldn't have staid in that office another day for a thousand dollars! They're nothing but a set of old grannies--every one of them!" "Oh, Ellen!" Mrs. O'Brien dropped back helplessly into her chair. A look of overwhelming disappointment settled on her face; her mouth quivered; her eyes overflowed. "Oh, Ellen," she repeated, "how does it come that ye've lost it?"