There was no Sunday paper，so the girlish editors found the morrowa a veritable day of rest.They all drove to Hooker's Falls to church and returned to ？nd that old Nora had prepared a fine chicken dinner for them.Patsy had invited Hetty Hewitt，in whom she was now greatly interested，to dine with them，and to the astonishment of all the artist walked over to the farm arrayed in a new gown，having discarded the disreputable costume in which she had formerly appeared.The new dress was not in the best of taste and its loud checks made dainty Louise shudder，but somehow Hetty seemed far more feminine than before，and she had，moreover，washed herself carefully and tried to arrange her rebellious hair.
"This place is doing me good，"she confided tob hergirl employers，after dinner，when they were seated in a group upon the lawn."I'm getting over my nervousness，and although I haven't drank a drop stronger than water since I arrived.I feel a new sort of energy coursing through my veins.Also I eat like a trooper—not at night，as I used to，but at regular mealtime.And I'm behaving quite like a lady.Do you know，I wouldn't be surprised to ？nd it just as amusing to be respectable as to—to be—the other thing ？""You will find it far more satisfactory，I'm sure，"replied Patsy encouragingly."What most surprises me is that with your talent and education you ever got into such bad ways.""Environment，"said Hetty."That's what did it.When I first went to New York I was very young.A newspaper man took me out to dinner and asked me to have a cocktail.I looked around the tables and saw other girls drinking cocktails，so I took one.That was where I turned into the rocky roada.People get careless around the newspaper of？ces.They work under a constant nervous strain and ？nd that drink steadies them—for a time.By and by they disappear；others take their places，and they are never heard of again except in the police courts.I knew a girl，society editor of a big paper，who drew her five thousand a year，at one time.She got the cocktail habit and a week or so ago I paid her ？ne for getting pinched while intoxicatedb.She was in rags and hadn't a red cent.That set me thinking，and when Tommy fired me from his paper and said the best he could do was to get me a job in the country，it seemed as if my chance to turn over a new leaf had arrived.I've turned it，"she added，with a pathetic sigh；"but whether it'llstay turned，or not，is a question for the puzzle page.""Haven't you a family to look after you—or for you to look after ？"asked Beth.
"No.Brother and I were left orphans in a Connecticut town，and he went out West，to Chicago，and promised to send for me.Must have forgot that promise，I guess，for I've never heard of Dan since.I could draw pictures，so I went to New York and found a job.Guess that's my biography，and itisn't as interesting as one of Hearst's editorialsa，either."Hetty seemed pleased and grateful to note the frank friendliness of her girlish employers，in whom she recognized the admirable qualities she had personally sacri？ced for a life of dissipation.In the privacy of her room at the hotel she had read the ？rst copy of the Millville Tribune and shrieked with laughterb at the ingenuousc editorials and schoolgirl essays.Then she grew soberd and thoughtful，envying in her heart the sweetness and simplicity so apparent in every line.Here were girls who possessed something infinitely higher than journalistic acumene；they were true women，with genuine womanly qualities and natures that betrayed their worth at a glance，as do ingotsf of refined gold.What would not this waifg from the grim underworld of New York have given for such clear eyes，pure mind and unsullied heart？"I don't know as I can ever swim in their pond，"Hetty re？ected，with honest regret，"but there's a chance I can look folks square in the eye again—and that wouldn't be so bad."Monday morning，when Patsy，Louise and Beth drove totheir of？ce，Miss Briggs said nonchalantlyh："McGaffey's gone.""Gone！Gone where？"asked Patsy.
"Back to New York.Caught a freight from the Junction Saturday night.""Isn't he coming back？"inquired Beth.
"Here's a letter he left，"said Miss Briggs.
They read it together.It was very brief；"Climate don't suit me.No excitement.I've quit.McGaffey.""I suppose，"said Patsy，with indignation，"he intended togo，all the while，and only waited for his Saturday pay."Miss Briggs nodded.She was at the telegraph instrument.
"What shall we do？"asked Louise."Can anyone else workthe press？""I'll ？nd out，"said Patsy，marching into the workroom.Neither Fitz nor Larry would undertake to run the press.
They said the machine was so complicated it required an expert，and unless an experienced pressman could be secured the paper must suspend publication.
Here was an unexpected dilemma；one that for a timedazed them.
