ing to leave the
house in the same dress she had worn at luncheon, she cried:

"Oh, Helen, _do_ go out and come in by the lower door; will you? The
basement door, you know."

"Sure!" replied Helen, cheerfully. "Saves the servants work, I suppose,
answering the bell."

But she knew as well as Belle why the request was made. Belle was ashamed
to have her appear to be one of the family. If she went in and out by the
servants' door it would not look so bad.

Helen walked over to the avenue and looked at the frocks in the store
windows. By their richness she saw that in this neighborhood, at least, to
refit in a style which would please her cousins would cost quite a sum of
money.

"I won't do it!" she told herself, stubbornly. "If they want me to look
well enough to go in and out of the front door, let them suggest buying
something for me."

She went back to the Starkweather mansion in good season; but she entered,
as she had been told, by the area door. One of the maids let her in and
tossed her head when she saw what an out-of-date appearance this poor
relation of her master made.

"Sure," this girl said to the cook, "if I didn't dress better nor _her_
when I went out, I'd wait till afther dark, so I would!"

Helen heard this, too. But she was a girl who could stick to her purpose.
Criticism should not move her, she determined; she would continue to play
her part.

"Mr. Starkweather is in the den, Miss," said the housekeeper, meeting
Helen on the stairs. "He has asked for you."

Mrs. Olstrom was a very grim person, indeed. If she had shown the girl
from the ranch some little kindliness the night before, she now hid it all
very successfully.

Helen returned to the lower floor and sought that room in which she had
had her first interview with her relatives. Mr. Starkweather was alone. He
looked more than a little disturbed; and of the two he was the more
confused.

"Ahem! I feel that we must have a serious talk together, Helen," he said,
in his pompous manner. "It--it will be quite necessary--ahem!"

"Sure!" returned the girl. "Glad to. I've got some serious things to ask
you, too, sir."

"Eh? Eh?" exclaimed the gentleman, worried at once.

"You fire ahead, sir," said Helen, sitting down and crossing one knee over
the other in a boyish fashion. "My questions will wait."

"I--ahem!--I wish to know who suggested your coming here to New York?"

"My father," replied Helen, simply and truthfully.

"Your f