e! Yes, it was his cousin Mark
Mason--Mark Mason, handsomely dressed in party costume, and with a rose
in his button-hole.

Mark turned round to see who were the newcomers.

"Good evening, Edgar," said Mark.

"_You_ here!" exclaimed Edgar, in unqualified amazement.

"Yes; I did not expect to have the pleasure of meeting you," answered
Mark with an amused smile. He understood Edgar's surprise, and the
reason of it.

Meanwhile Stanley Rayburn stood by in silence.

"Introduce me to your friend, Edgar," he said, for he was attracted by
Mark's frank, handsome face.

"Mark Mason--Stanley Rayburn!" said Edgar awkwardly. He would have liked
to decline introducing Stanley to his poor cousin, but there seemed to
be no way of avoiding it.

"I am glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Mason," said Stanley
cordially.

"Thank you, but don't call me Mr. Mason."

"I would rather say Mark. Any friend of Edgar----"

"Mark Mason and I are only acquaintances," said Edgar hurriedly, and in
the worst possible taste.

"I hope that _we_ shall be friends," said Stanley with emphasis,
thinking that Edgar was a cad.

"I hope so too," rejoined Mark earnestly, "if, after getting my
'character' from Edgar," he added with a smile, "you still wish it."

Stanley was a little puzzled, not knowing how Mark was regarded by his
companion.

"I think I shall go down at once," said Stanley. "I don't think I
require any finishing touches to my toilet."

"Be ready to go with me to Miss Gilbert," said Edgar. "I will follow you
in a minute."

"Very well."

"Now," said Edgar, when he and his cousin were alone, "how do you happen
to be here?"

"By Miss Gilbert's invitation, of course. I suppose that is the case
with you."

"Certainly. Does she know that you are a telegraph boy?"

"Yes."

"That's strange. Did you ever meet her?"

"Oh, yes; I have spent the evening here two or three times."

"That's queer. By the way, you seem to be very nicely dressed."

"I am glad you like my suit."

"Yet you are as poor as poverty. It was a crazy idea to run into debt
for an expensive suit."

"I didn't run into debt. My suit is paid for."

"Yet your mother claims to be very poor."

"We are getting along better now."

"It would have been wiser for you to save the money you spent on this
suit and keep it for rent and food."

"Your advice is very kind, Edgar, but I really feel that I can manage my
own business."

"Oh, well, if you choose to