the old lady's definition of dancing, which for once she might
allow.

Even Morris, when appealed to, decided with Wilford against Mrs. Lennox
and Aunt Betsy, knowing how unequal he was to the task which would
devolve on him in case of a bridal party at the farmhouse. In
comparative silence he had heard from Wilford of his engagement,
offering no objection when told how soon the marriage would take place,
but congratulating him so quietly that, if Wilford had retained a
feeling of jealousy, it would have disappeared; Morris was so seemingly
indifferent to everything except Katy's happiness. But Wilford did not
observe closely, and failed to detect the hopeless look in Morris' eyes,
or the whiteness which settled about his mouth as he fulfilled the
duties of host and sought to entertain his guest. Those were dark hours
for Morris Grant, and he was glad when at the end of the second day
Wilford's visit expired, and he saw him driven from Linwood around to
the farmhouse, where he would say his parting words to Katy and then go
back to New York.

CHAPTER VIII.

GETTING READY TO BE MARRIED.

"Miss Helen Lennox, Silverton, Mass."

This was the superscription of a letter, postmarked New York, and
brought to Helen within a week after Wilford's departure. It was his
handwriting, too; and wondering what he could have written to her, Helen
broke the seal, starting as there dropped into her lap a check for five
hundred dollars.

"What does it mean?" she said, her cheek flushing with anger and
insulted pride as she read the following brief lines:

"NEW YORK, May 8th.

"MISS HELEN LENNOX: Please pardon the liberty I take in inclosing the sum
of five hundred dollars, to be used by you in procuring whatever Katy may
need for present necessities. Presuming that the country seamstresses
have not the best facilities for obtaining the latest fashions, my mother
proposes sending out her own private dressmaker, Mrs. Ryan. You may look
for her the last of the week.

"Yours truly, WILFORD CAMERON."

It would be impossible to describe Helen's indignation as she read this
letter, which roused her to a pitch of anger such as Wilford Cameron had
never imagined when he wrote the offensive lines. He had really no
intention of insulting her. On the contrary, the gift of money was
kindly meant, for he knew very well that Uncle Ephraim was poor, while
the part referring to the dressmaker was wholly his mother's
proposition, to whi