Chapter 4

The result of Fan's second day's search for employment proved no more
promising than the first. She wandered about the Westbourne Park
district, going as far west as Ladbroke Grove Road, still avoiding the
streets, gardens, and squares of the larger houses. But she was
apparently not good enough for even the humbler class of dwellings, for
no one would so much as ask her what she could do, or condescend to speak
to her, except in one house, to which she had been directed by a woman in
a greengrocer's shop; there she was scoffingly asked if she had a
"character" and decent clothes to wear.

When the woman who had given her shelter on the previous evening returned
at five o'clock from her work, she found Fan in Dudley Grove, for that
was the beautiful name of the slum she lived in, standing, as before,
beside the lamp-post; and after a few words of greeting took her to her
room. While preparing the tea she noticed the girl's weak and starved
condition, for Fan had eaten nothing all day, and went out and presently
returned with a better supply of food--brawn, and salt butter, and a
bundle of water-cress--quite a variety.

As on the evening before, they sat for a while by the small fire after
their meal, speaking a few words, and those not very hopeful ones, and
then presently they went to bed, and to sleep as soon as their heads
touched the pillow. After their modest breakfast next morning the woman
said:

"Are you going back to your friends to-day?"

Fan glanced at her in sudden fear and cast down her eyes.

"You was tired and had nothing to eat yesterday, and couldn't git nothing
to do. Didn't it make you wish to go back to them again?"

"No, I'll not go back. I've no friends," said Fan; and then she added
timidly, "You don't want me to come back here no more?"

"Yes; you come back if you don't find nothing. The tea and bread ain't
much, and I don't mind it, and it's company to me to have you."

And without more words they went out together, separating in the Harrow
Road.

On this morning Fan took a different route, and going south soon found
herself in wide, clean streets, among very big stuccoed and painted
houses. It was useless to seek for anything there, she thought, and yet
presently something happened in this place to put a new hope into her
heart. It was very early, and at some of the houses the cooks or kitchen-
maids were cleaning the doorsteps, and while passing one of these doors
she was accosted by the woman and asked if she would clean the steps. She
consented gladly enough, and received a penny in payment. Then she
remembered that she had often seen poor girls, ill-dressed as herself,
cleaning