ress suit and
diamond scarf-pin."

"I would, Jimmy, only I lent 'em both to a bootblack of my acquaintance
who's going to attend a ball on Fifth Avenue to-night."

Jimmy laughed.

"You've always got an answer ready, Mark," he said. "Well, so long! Hope
you'll have a good time."

"Where does the lady live, Mark?" asked Mrs. Mason.

"At No. 90 West Forty-Fifth Street. I haven't much time to spare. I must
go as soon as I can get ready."

It was half-past seven o'clock before Mark rang the bell at a fine brown
stone house on West Forty-Fifth Street. The door was opened by a colored
servant, who, without speaking to Mark, turned his head, and called out:
"The messenger's come, Miss Maud."

"I'm _so_ glad," said a silvery voice, as a young lady of twenty,
already dressed for the street, came out of a room on the left of the
hall. Mark took off his hat politely.

"So you are the messenger boy?" she said. "You are to take me to Daly's
Theater."

"Yes, miss. So I heard."

"Let us go at once. We will take the horse cars at Sixth Avenue, and get
out at Thirtieth Street."

Before she had finished they were already in the street.

"I must explain," she said, "that my uncle bought two tickets this
morning and expected to accompany me, but an important engagement has
prevented. I was resolved to go, and so I sent for a messenger. Perhaps
you had better take the tickets."

"All right, Miss----."

"Gilbert. As you are to be my escort I will ask your name."

"Mark Mason."

"Shall I call you Mark, or Mr. Mason?" she asked with a roguish smile.

"I would rather you would call me Mark."

"Perhaps, as you are taking the place of my uncle, it would be proper to
call you Uncle Mark," she laughed.

"All right, if you prefer it," said Mark.

"On the whole I won't. I am afraid you don't look the character. Are you
quite sure you can protect me?"

"I'll try to, Miss Gilbert."

"Then I won't borrow any trouble."

Maud Gilbert had carefully observed Mark, and as he was an
attractive-looking boy she felt satisfied with the selection made for
her.

"I am glad you didn't wear your uniform," she said. "I forgot to speak
about that."

"When I heard what I was wanted for I thought it would be better to
leave off the uniform," said Mark.

"That was right. Now I can pass you off as a young friend. If I meet any
young lady friend, don't call me Miss Gilbert, but call me Maud. Perhaps
you had better call me that at any rat