ther
lover more like her than Mark could ever be.

CHAPTER XXIII.

GENEVRA.

Far more elated with her sister's success than Helen herself, Katy could
talk of little else next morning, telling Helen how many complimentary
things Wilford had said of her, and how much he had heard others say,
while Mark Ray had seemed perfectly fascinated.

"I never thought till last night how nice it would be for you to marry
Mark and settle in New York," Katy said, never dreaming how she was
wounding Helen, who, but for Mrs. Cameron's charge, would have
proclaimed Mark's engagement with Juno.

As it was, she felt the words struggling against her lips; but she
forced them back, and tried to laugh at Katy's castles in the air, as
she called them.

"You looked beautiful, Wilford said," Katy continued, "and I am so glad,
only," and Katy's voice fell, while her eyes rested upon the crib where
the baby was sleeping, "only I think Wilford is more anxious than ever
for me to go again into society. He will not hear of my staying home for
the entire season, as I wish to do, for baby is better to me than all
the parties in the world. I am so tired of it all, and have been ever
since I was at Newport. I was so vain and silly there, and I have been
so sorry since. But that summer cured me entirely, and you don't know
how I loathe the very thought of entering society again. For your sake I
should be willing to go sometimes, if there were no one else. But Mrs.
Banker has kindly offered to take you under her charge, and so there is
no necessity for me to matronize you."

Helen laughed merrily at the idea of being matronized by the little
girlish creature not yet twenty years of age, kissing fondly the white,
thin cheek so much whiter and thinner than it used to be.

"You are confining yourself too much," she said. "You are losing all
your color. Fresh air will do you good, even if parties will not.
Suppose we drive this afternoon to Marian Hazelton's and show her the
baby."

Nothing could please Katy better. Several times since baby's birth she
sent a message to Fourth Street, begging of Marian to come and see her
treasure, and once, urged by her entreaties, Wilford himself had written
a brief note asking that Miss Hazleton would call if perfectly
convenient. But there had always been some excuse, some plea of work,
some putting off the coming, until Katy feared that something might he
wrong, and entered heartily into Helen's proposi