l of the olden vanity as she saw
herself once more arrayed in all her costly apparel. Helen did not
wonder now at Wilford's desire to have Katy with him, and very proudly
she watched her young sister as Esther twined the flowers in her hair
and then brought out the ermine cloak she was to wear as a protection
against the cold.

"If they could only see you at home," she said, while instantly there
arose a thought of Dr. Grant, and Helen felt a throb of keen regret as
she contrasted the gay, airy figure with the grave, quiet Morris, who
found his chief delights in works of charity, and whose feet lingered
amid the haunts of poverty and suffering, rather than such scenes as
that to which she was going.

But Katy's path lay far from Dr. Grant's, and only Wilford Cameron had
A right to say whither she should go or when return. He was standing by
her now, making a few suggestions and expressing his approbation in a
way which reminded Helen of that night before the marriage, when Katy's
dress had been condemned, and of that sadder, bitterer time when she
had poured her tears like rain into that trunk returned. All she had
thought of Wilford then was now more than confirmed, but he was kind to
her and very proud of Katy, so she forced back her feelings of disquiet,
which, however, were roused again when she saw the dark look on his
face, as Katy, at the very last, ran to the nursery to kiss baby again,
succeeding this time in waking it, as was proven by the cry that made
Wilford scowl angrily and brought to his lips a word of rebuke for
Katy's childishness.

"You are like a girl with her first doll," he said, as he opened the
door for her to pass, and Helen, though she felt the truth of the
remark, knew there was no necessity for him to throw so much of lordly
displeasure into his manner, and make poor Katy look so distressed and
worried as they drove rapidly along the streets to Mrs. Banker's.

The party was not so large as that at Sybil Grandon's, but it was more
select, and Helen enjoyed it better, meeting people like Morris, who
readily appreciated the peculiarities of her mind, and who would have
made her forget all else around her if she had not been a guest at Mark
Ray's house. It was the first time she had met him away from home since
the night of Mrs. Grandon's, and as if forgetful of her reserve, he paid
her numberless attentions, which, coming from the master of the house,
were the more to be valued.

With a qu