ss Mark, and Juno's sharp
voice said, quickly: "Called on her! When, pray? I did not know you had
the honor of Miss Lennox's acquaintance."

Mark was in a dilemma. He had kept his call at Silverton to himself, as
he did not care to be questioned about Katy's family; and now, when it
accidentally came out, he tried to make some evasive reply, pretending
that he had spoken of it, and Juno had forgotten. But Juno knew better,
and from that night dated a strong feeling of dislike, almost hatred,
for Helen Lennox, whom she affected to despise, even though she could be
jealous of her. Wisely changing the conversation, Mark asked Katy next
to play, and as she seldom refused, she went at once to the piano,
astonishing both Mrs. Cameron and her daughters with the brilliancy of
her performance. Even Juno complimented her, saying she must have taken
lessons very young.

"When I was ten," Katy answered. "Cousin Morris gave me my first
exercises himself. He plays sometimes."

"Yes, I knew that," Juno replied. "Does your sister play as well as
you?"

Katy knew that Helen did not, and she answered frankly: "Morris thinks
she does not. She is not as fond of it as I am." Then feeling that she
must in some way make amends for Helen, she added: "But she knows a
great deal more than I do about books. Helen is very smart."

There was a smile on every lip at this ingenuous remark, but only Mark
and Bell liked Katy the better for it. Wilford did not care to have her
talking of her friends, and he kept her at the piano until she said her
fingers were tired, and begged leave to stop.

It was late ere Mark bade them good-night; so late that Katy began to
wonder if he would never go, yawning once so perceptibly that Wilford
gave her a reproving glance, which sent the hot blood to her face and
drove from her every feeling of drowsiness. Even after he had gone the
family were in no haste to retire, but sat chatting with Wilford until
the city clock struck twelve and Katy was actually nodding in her chair.

"Poor child, she is very tired," Wilford said, apologetically, gently
waking Katy, who, really mortified, begged them to excuse her, and
followed her husband to her room, where she was free to ask him what she
must ask before she could ever be quite as happy as she had been before.

Notwithstanding what Jamie had said, Juno's words kept recurring to her
mind, and going up to the chair where Wilford was sitting before the
fire, and standi