of stairs and into Wilford's office, where she sank
breathless into a chair, while Mark, not in the least surprised, greeted
her cordially, and very soon succeeded in getting her quiet, bowing so
graciously to Mattie when introduced that the poor girl dreamed of him
for many a night, and by day built castles of what might have been had
she been rich, instead of only 'Tilda Tubbs, whose home was on the
Bowery. Why need Aunt Betsy in her introduction have mentioned that
fact? Mattie thought, her cheeks burning scarlet; or why need she
afterward speak of her as 'Tilda, who was kind enough to come with her
to the office where she hoped to find Wilford? Poor Mattie, she knew
some things very well, but she had never yet conceived of the
immeasurable distance between herself and Mark Ray, who cared but little
whether her home were on the Bowery or on Murray Hill, after the first
sight which told him what she was. He was very polite to her, however,
for it was not in his nature to be otherwise, while the fact that she
came with Helen's aunt gave her some claim upon him.

"Mr. Cameron had just left the office and would not return that day,"
he said to Aunt Betsy, asking if he could assist her in any way, and
assuring her of his willingness to do so.

Aunt Betsy could talk with him better than with Wilford, and was about
to give him the story of the sheep pasture in detail, when, motioning to
a side door, he said, "Walk in here, please. You will not be liable to
so many interruptions."

"Come, 'Tilda, it's no privacy," Aunt Betsy said; but Tilda felt
intuitively that she was not wanted, and rather haughtily declined,
amusing herself by the window, while Aunt Betsy in the private office
told her troubles to Mark Ray; and received in return the advice to let
the claimant go to law if he chose, he probably would make nothing by
it, and even if he did, she would not sustain a heavy loss, according to
her own statement of the value of the land.

"If I could keep the sweet apple-tree, I wouldn't care," Aunt Betsy
said, "for, the rest ain't worth a lawsuit; though it's my property, and
I have thought of willing it to Helen, if she ever marries."

Here was a temptation which Mark Ray could not resist. Ever since Mrs.
General Reynolds' party Helen's manner had puzzled him; but her shyness
only made him more in love than ever, while the rumor of her engagement
with Dr. Morris tormented him continually. Sometimes he believed it, and
so