espect for the young girl, who, she saw,
was keenly sensitive, even with all her strength of character.

"You were quite right to commence as you have," she said, "for now you
have a still greater treat in store, and Mark shall drive you to the
park some day. I know you will like that."

Helen felt that she should like anything with that friendly voice to
reassure her, and leaning back she was thinking how pleasant it was to
be in New York, how different from what she had expected, when a bow
from Mark made her look up in time to see that they were meeting a
carriage, in which sat Wilford, and with two gayly-dressed ladies, both
of whom gave her a supercilious stare as they passed by, while the
younger of the two half turned her head, as if for a more prolonged
gaze.

"Mrs. Grandon and Juno Cameron," Mrs. Banker said, making some further
remark to her son; while Helen felt that the brightness of the day
changed, for she could not be unconscious of the look with which she had
been regarded by these two fashionable ladies, and again her furs came
up before her, bringing a feeling of which she was ashamed, especially
as she had fancied herself above all weakness of the kind.

But Helen was a woman, with a woman's nature, and so that ride was not
without its annoyance, though her face was very bright as she bade Mrs.
Banker and Mark good-by, and then ran up the steps to Katy's home. That
night at the dinner, from which Mrs. Cameron was absent, Wilford was
unusually gracious, asking "had she enjoyed her ride, and if she did
not find Mrs. Banker a very pleasant acquaintance."

The fact was, Wilford felt a little uncomfortable himself for having
suffered a stranger to do for Katy's sister what devolved upon himself.
Katy had asked him to drive with Helen; but he had found it very
convenient to forget it, and take a seat instead with Juno and Mrs.
Grandon, the latter of whom complimented "Miss Lennox's fine
intellectual face," after they had passed, and complimented it the more
as she saw how it vexed Juno, who could see nothing "in those bold eyes
and that masculine forehead," just because their _vis-a-vis_ chanced to
be Mark Ray's. Juno was not pleased with Helen's first appearance in the
street, but nevertheless she called upon her next day, with Sybil
Grandon and her sister, Bell. To this she was urged by Sybil, who,
having a somewhat larger experience of human nature, foresaw that Helen
would be popular just because M