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reform；　a　committee　with　no　delicate　nostril　to　be　buried　in　a　perfumed　handkerchief　when　pursuing　an　investigation　（as　a　matter　of　fact；　that　committee　had　no　sense　of　smell　at　all）；　a　committee　of　one；　namely；　John　James　Parsons；　the　Methodist　missionary；　and　he　worked　chiefly　with　committees　of　one；　of　which　not　the　least　important　was　little　Margaret　Ketzel。

It　was　through　Margaret　Ketzel　that　Parsons　got　his　first　hold　of　Paulina；　by　getting　hold　of　her　little　girl　Irma。　　For　Margaret；　though　so　much　her　junior　in　years　and　experience；　was　to　Irma　a　continual　source　of　wonder　and　admiration。　　Her　facility　with　the　English　speech；　her　ability　to　read　books；　her　fine　manners；　her　clean　and　orderly　home；　her　pretty　Canadian　dress；　her　beloved　school；　her　cheery　mission；　all　these　were　to　Irma　new；　wonderful　and　fascinating。　　Gradually　Irma　was　drawn　to　that　new　world　of　Margaret's；　and　away　from　the　old；　sordid；　disorderly　wretchedness　of　her　own　life　and　home。

After　much　secret　conference　with　all　the　Ketzels；　and　much　patient　and　skilful　labour　on　the　part　of　the　motherly　Lena；　a　great　day　at　length　arrived　for　Irma。　　It　was　the　day　on　which　she　discarded　the　head　shawl　with　the　rest　of　the　quaint　Galician　attire；　and　appeared　dressed　as　a　Canadian　girl；　discovering　to　her　delighted　friends　and　to　all　who　knew　her；　though　not　yet　to　herself；　a　rare　beauty　hitherto　unnoticed　by　any。　　Indeed；　when　Mr。　Samuel　Sprink；　coming　in　from　Rosenblatt's　store　to　spend　a　few　hurried　minutes　in　gorging　himself　after　his　manner　at　the　evening　meal；　allowed　himself　time　to　turn　his　eyes　from　his　plate　and　to　let　them　rest　upon　the　little　maid　waiting　upon　his　table；　the　transformation　from　the　girl；　slatternly；　ragged　and　none　too　clean；　that　was　wont　to　bring　him　his　food；　to　this　new　being　that　flitted　about　from　place　to　place；　smote　him　as　with　a　sudden　blow。　　He　laid　down　the　instruments　of　his　gluttony　and　for　a　full　half　minute　forgot　the　steaming　stew　before　him；　whose　garlic…laden　odours　had　been　assailing　his　nostrils　some　minutes　previously　with　pungent　delight。　　Others；　too；　of　that　hungry　gorging　company　found　themselves　disturbed　in　their　ordinary　occupation　by　this　vision　of　sweet　and　tender　beauty　that　flitted　about　them；　ministering　to　their　voracity。

To　none　more　than　to　Rosenblatt　himself　was　the　transformation　of　Irma　a　surprise　and　a　mystery。　　It　made　him　uneasy。　　He　had　an　instinctive　feeling　that　this　was　the　beginning　of　an　emancipation　that　would　leave　him　one　day　without　his　slaves。　　Paulina；　too；　would　learn　the　new　ways；　then　she　and　the　girl；　who　now　spent　long　hours　of　hard　labour　in　his　service；　would　demand　money　for　their　toil。　　The　thought　grieved　him　sore。　　But　there　was　another　thought　that　stabbed　him　with　a　keener　pain。　　Paulina　and　her　family　would　learn　that　they　need　no　longer　fear　him；　that　they　could　do　without　him；　and　then　they　would　escape　from　his　control。　　And　this　Rosenblatt　dreaded　above　all　things　else。　　To　lose　the　power　to　keep　in　degradation　the　wife　and　children　of　the　man　he　hated　with　a　quenchless　hatred　would　be　to　lose　much　of　the　sweetness　of　life。　Those　few　terrible　moments　when　he　had　lain　waiting　for　the　uplifted　knife　of　his　foe　to　penetrate　his　shrinking　eyeballs　had　taken　years　from　him。　　He　had　come　back　to　his　life　older；　weaker；　broken　in　nerve　and　more　than　ever　consumed　with　a　thirst　for　vengeance。　　Since　Kalmar's　escape　he　lived　in　daily；　hourly　fear　that　his　enemy　would　strike　again　and　this　time　without　missing；　and　with　feverish　anxiety　he　planned　to　anticipate　that　hour　with　a　vengeance　which　would　rob　death　of　much　of　its　sting。

So　far　he　had　succeeded　only　partially。　　Paulina　and　Irma　he　held　in　domestic　bondage。　　From　the　boy　Kalman；　too；　he　exacted　day　by　day　the　full　tale　of　his　scanty　profits　made　from　selling　newspapers　on　the　street。　　But　beyond　this　he　could　not　go。　　By　no　sort　of　terror　could　he　induce　Paulina　to　return　to　the　old　conditions　and　rent　floor　space　in　her　room　to　his　boarders。　　At　her　door　she　stood　on　guard；　refusing　admittance。　　Once；　indeed；　when　hard　pressed　by　Rosenblatt　demanding　entrance；　she　had　thrown　herself　before　him　with　a　butcher　knife　in　her　hand；　and　with　a　look　of　such　transforming　fierceness　on　her　face　as　drove　him　from　the　house　in　fear　of　his　life。　　She　was　no　longer　his　patient　drudge；　but　a　woman　defending；　not　so　much　her　own；　as　her　husband's　honour；　a　tigress　guarding　her　young。

Never　again　did　Rosenblatt　attempt　to　pass　through　that　door；　but　schooled　himself　to　wait　a　better　time　and　a　safer　path　to　compass　his　vengeance。　　But　from　that　moment；　where　there　had　been　merely　contempt　for　Paulina　and　her　family；　there　sprang　up　bitter　hatred。　He　hated　them　allthe　woman　who　was　his　dupe　and　his　slave；　but　who　balked　him　of　his　revenge；　the　boy　who　brought　him　the　cents　for　which　he　froze　during　the　winter　evenings　at　the　corner　of　Portage　and　Main；　but　who　with　the　cents　gave　him　fierce　and　fearless　looks；　and　this　girl　suddenly　transformed　from　a　timid；　stupid；　ill…dressed　Galician　child；　into　a　being　of　grace　and　loveliness　and　conscious　power。　　No　wonder　that　as　he　followed　her　with　his　eye；　noting　all　this　new　grace　and　beauty；　he　felt　uneasy。　Already　she　seemed　to　have　soared　far　beyond　his　sordid　world　and　far　beyond　his　grasp。　　Deep　in　his　heart　he　swore　that　he　would　find　means　to　bring　her　down　to　the　dirt　again。　　The　higher　her　flight；　the　farther　her　fall　and　the　sweeter　would　be　his　revenge。

〃What's　the　matter　wit　you；　boss？　　Gone　back　on　your　grub；　eh？〃

It　was　his　clerk；　Samuel　Sprink；　whose　sharp　little　eyes　had　not　failed　to　note　the　gloomy　glances　of　his　employer。

〃Pretty　gay　girl；　our　Irma　has　come　to　be；〃　continued　the　cheerful　Samuel；　who　prided　himself　on　his　fine　selection　of　colloquial　English。　　〃She's　a　beaut　now；　ain't　she？　　A　regular　bird！〃

Rosenblatt　started。　　At　his　words；　but　more　at　the　admiration　in　Samuel's　eyes；　a　new　idea　came　to　him。　　He　knew　his　clerk　well；　knew　his　restless　ambition；　his　insatiable　greed；　his　intense　selfishness；　his　indomitable　will。　　And　he　had　good　reason　to　know。　Three　times　during　the　past　year　his　clerk　had　forced　from　him　an　increase　of　salary。　　Indeed；　Samuel　Sprink；　young　though　he　was　and　unlearned　in　the　ways　of　the　world；　was　the　only　man　in　the　city　that　Rosenblatt　feared。　　If　by　any　means　Samuel　could　obtain　a　hold　over　this　young　lady；　he　would　soon　bring　her　to　the　dust。　　Once　in　Samuel's　power；　she　would　soon　sink　to　the　level　of　the　ordinary　Galician　wife。　　True；　she　was　but　a　girl　of　fifteen；　but　in　a　year　or　so　she　would　be　ready　for　the　altar　in　the　Galician　estimation。

As　these　thoughts　swiftly　flashed　through　his　mind；　Rosenblatt　turned　to　Samuel　Sprink　and　said；　〃Yes；　she　is　a　fine　girl。　　I　never　noticed　before。　　It　is　her　new　dress。〃

〃Not　a　bit；〃　said　Samuel。　　〃The　dress　helps　out；　but　it　is　the　girl　herself。　　I　have　seen　it　for　a　long　time。　　Look　at　her。　　Isn't　she　a　bird；　a　bird　of　Paradise；　eh？〃

〃She　will　look　well　in　a　cage　some　day；　eh；　Samuel？〃

〃You　bet　your　sweet　life！〃　said　Samuel。

〃Better　get　the　cage　ready　then；　Samuel；〃　suggested　Rosenblatt。　〃There　are　plenty　bird　fanciers　in　this　town。〃

The　suggestion　seemed　to　anger　Samuel；　who　swore　an　English　oath　and　lapsed　into　silence。

Irma　heard；　but　heeded　little。　　Rosenblatt　she　feared；　Samuel　Sprink　she　despised。　　There　had　been　a　time　when　both　she　and　Paulina　regarded　him　with　admiration　mingled　with　awe。　　Samuel　Sprink　had　many　attractions。　　He　had　always　plenty　of　money　to　jingle；　and　had　a　reputation　for　growing　wealth。　　He　was　generous　in　his　gifts　to　the　little　girlgifts；　it　must　be　confessed；　that　cost　him　little；　owing　to　his　position　as　clerk　in　Rosenblatt's　store。　　Then；　too；　he　was　so　clever　with　his　smart　English　and　his　Canadian　manners；　so　magnificent　with　his　curled　and　oily　locks；　his　resplendent　jewelry；　his　brilliant　neckties。　　But　that　was　before　Irma　had　been　brought　to　the　little　mission；　and　before　she　had　learned　through　Margaret　Ketzel　and　through　Margaret's　father　and　mother　something　of　Canadian　life；　of　Canadian　people；　of　Canadian　manners　and　dress。　　As　her　knowledge　in　this　direction　extended；　her　admiration　and　reverence　for　Samuel　Sprink　faded。

The　day　that　Irma　discarded　her　Galician　garb　and　blossomed　forth　as　a　Canadian　young　lady　was　the　day　on　which　she　was　fully　cured　of　her　admiration　for　Rosenblatt's　clerk。　　For　such　subtle　influence　does　dress　exercise　over　the　mind　that　something　of　the　spirit　of　the　garb　seems　to　pass　into　the　spirit　of　the　wearer。　Self…respect　is　often　born　in　the　tailor　shop　or　in　the　costumer's　parlour。　　Be　this　as　it　may；　it　is　certain　that　Irma's　Canadian　dress　gave　the　final　blow　to　her　admiration　of　Samuel　Sprink；　and　child　though　she　was；　she　became　conscious　of　a　new　power　over　not　only　Sprink；　but　over　all　the　boarders；　and　instinctively　she　assumed　a　new　attitude　toward　them。　　The　old　coarse　and　familiar　horseplay　which　she　had　permitted　without　thought　at　their　hands；　was　now　distasteful　to　her。　　Indeed；　with　most　of　the　men　it　ceased　to　be　any　longer　possible。　　There　were　a　few；　however；　and　Samuel　Sprink　among　them；　who　were　either　too　dull…witted　to　recognise　the　change　that