“Iapologizeforthatbeforehand。Well，thatfirstnightIsawayoungmanlookingveryanxious，veryuncomfortable，andveryweak。
Thesecondtime——andnotverylongafter——Isawhimwelldressed，lounginglikeanyotheryoungmanonaSundayafternoon，andI
believedthathetookthelibertyofbowingtomethenbecauseI
hadoncelookedathimunderamisapprehension。“
“Oh，MissAvondale！“
“ThenItookamorecharitableview，andcametotheconclusionthatthefirstnighthehadbeendrinking。But，“sheadded，withafaintsmileatRandolph’slugubriousface，“Iapologize。Andyouhavehadyourrevenge；forifIcutyouonaccountofyoursmartclothes，youhavetriedtodomeakindnessonaccountofmyplainones。“
“Oh，MissAvondale，“burstoutRandolph，“ifyouonlyknewhowsorryandindignantIwasatthebank——when——youknow——theotherday“——hestammered。“IwantedtogowithyoutoMr。Revelstoke，youknow，whohadbeensogeneroustome，andIknowhewouldhavebeenproudtobefriendyouuntilyouheardfromyourfriends。“
“AndIamverygladyoudidnothingsofoolish，“saidtheyoungladyseriously，“or“——withasmile——“Ishouldhavebeenstillmoreaggravatingtoyouwhenwemet。Thebankwasquiteright。NorhaveIanypatheticstorylikeyours。Someyearsagomylittlehalf-cousinwhomyousawlosthismotherandwasputinmychargebyhisfather，withacertainsumtomycredit，tobeexpendedformyselfandthechild。Ilivedwithanuncle，withwhom，forsomefamilyreasons，thechild’sfatherwasnotongoodterms，andthismoneyandthechargeofthechildwerethereforeintrustedentirelytome；perhaps，also，becauseBobbyandIwerefondofeachotherandIwasafriendofhismother。Thefatherwasashipmaster，alwaysawayonlongvoyages，andhasbeenhomebutonceinthethreeyearsIhavehadchargeofhisson。Ihavenotheardfromhimsince。Heisagood-heartedman，butofarestless，rovingdisposition，withnodomestictastes。Whyheshouldsuddenlyceasetoprovideformylittlecousin——ifhehasdoneso——orifhisomissionmeansonlysometemporarydisastertohimselforhisfortunes，Idonotknow。Myanxietywasmoreforthepoorboy’ssakethanformyself，foraslongasIliveIcanprovideforhim。“
Shesaidthiswithouttheleastdisplayofemotion，andwiththesamematureairofalsorepressinganyemotiononthepartofRandolph。Butforhersizeandgirlishfigure，butforthedrippingtanglesofherhairandhersofteyes，hewouldhavebelievedhewastalkingtoahard，middle-agedmatron。
“Thenyou——he——hasnofriendshere？“askedRandolph。
“No。WeareallfromCallao，whereBobbywasborn。Myunclewasamerchantthere，whocameherelatelytoestablishanagency。WelivedwithhiminSutterStreet——whereyourememberIwassohatefultoyou，“sheinterpolated，withamischievoussmile——“untilhisenterprisefailedandhewasobligedtoreturn；butIstayedherewithBobby，thathemightbeeducatedinhisfather’sowntongue。Itwasunfortunate，perhaps，“shesaid，withalittleknittingofherprettybrows，“thattheremittancesceasedanduncleleftaboutthesametime；but，likeyou，Iwaslucky，andI
managedtogetaplaceintheEmporium。“
“TheEmporium！“repeatedRandolphinsurprise。Itwasapopular“magasinoffashion“inMontgomeryStreet。Toconnectthisrefinedgirlwithitsgarishdisplayandvulgarattendantsseemedimpossible。
“TheEmporium，“reiteratedMissAvondalesimply。“Yousee，weusedtodressagooddealinCallaoandhadtheParisfashions，andthatexperiencewasofgreatservicetome。Iamnowattheheadofwhattheycallthe’mantledepartment，’ifyouplease，andamlookeduptoasanauthority。“Shemadehimamischievousbow，whichhadtheeffectofcausingatricklefromtheumbrellatofallacrosshisbuddingmustache，andanotherdownherownstraightlittlenose——adiversionthatmadethemlaughtogether，althoughRandolphsecretlyfeltthattheyounggirl’squietheroismwasmakinghisowntrialsappearridiculous。ButherallusiontoCallaoandtheboy’snamehadagainexcitedhisfancyandrevivedhisromanticdreamoftheircommonbenefactor。Assoonastheycouldgetamoreperfectshelterandfurltheumbrella，heplungedintothefullstoryofthemysteriousportmanteauanditsmissingowner，withthestrangediscoverythathehadmadeofthesimilarityofthetwohandwritings。Theyoungladylistenedintently，eagerly，checkingherselfwithwhatmighthavebeenahalfsmileathisenthusiasm。
“Irememberthebanker’sletter，certainly，“shesaid，“andCaptainDornton——thatwasthenameofBobby’sfather——askedmetosignmynameinthebodyofitwhereHEhadalsowrittenitwithmyaddress。Butthelikenessofthehandwritingtoyourslipofpapermaybeonlyafanciedone。Haveyoushownittoanyone，“shesaidquickly——“Imean，“shecorrectedherselfasquickly，“anyonewhoisanexpert？“
“Notthetwotogether，“saidRandolph，explaininghowhehadshownthepapertoMr。Revelstoke。
ButMissAvondalehadrecoveredherself，andlaughed。“Thatthatbitofpapershouldhavebeenthemeansofgettingyouasituationseemstomethemorewonderfuloccurrence。Ofcourseitisquiteacoincidencethatthereshouldbeachild’sphotographandalettersigned’Bobby’intheportmanteau。But“——shestoppedsuddenlyandfixedherdarkeyesonhis——“youhaveseenBobby。Surelyyoucansayifitwashislikeness？“
Randolphwasembarrassed。ThefactwashehadalwaysbeensoabsorbedinHERthathehadhardlyglancedatthechild。Heventuredtosaythis，andaddedalittleawkwardly，andcoloring，thathehadseenBobbyonlytwice。
“Andyoustillhavethisremarkablephotographandletter？“shesaid，perhapsalittletoocarelessly。
“Yes。Wouldyouliketoseethem？“
“Verymuch，“shereturnedquickly；andthenadded，withalaugh，“youaremakingmequitecurious。“
“Ifyouwouldallowmetoseeyouhome，“saidRandolph，“wehavetopassthestreetwheremyroomis，and，“headdedtimidly，“Icouldshowthemtoyou。“
“Certainly，“shereplied，withsublimeunconsciousnessofthecauseofhishesitation；“thatwillbeverynice？“
Randolphwashappy，albeithecouldnothelpthinkingthatshewastreatinghimliketheabsentBobby。
“It’sonlyonCommercialStreet，justaboveMontgomery，“hewenton。“Wegostraightupfromthewharf“——hestoppedshorthere，forthebulkofabystander，aroughlycladminer，waspressinghimsocloselythathewasobligedtoresistindignantly——partlyfromdiscomfort，andpartlyfromasensethatthemanwasoverhearinghim。Thestrangermutteredakindofapology，andmovedaway。
“Heseemstobeperpetuallyinyourway，“saidMissAvondale，smiling。“Hewasrightbehindyou，andyounearlytrodonhistoes，whenyouboltedoutofthecabinthismorning。“
“Ah，thenyouDIDseeme！“saidRandolph，forgettingallelseinhisdelightattheadmission。
ButMissAvondalewasnotdisconcerted。“Thankstoyourcollision，Isawyouboth。“
Itwasstillrainingwhentheydisembarkedatthewharf，alittlebehindtheotherPassengers，whohadcrowdedonthebowofthesteamboat。ItwasonlyablockortwobeyondtheplacewhereRandolphhadlandedthateventfulnight。Hehadtopassitnow；
butwithMissAvondaleclingingtohisarm，withwhatdifferentfeelings！Therainstillfell，thedaywasfading，buthewalkedinanenchanteddream，ofwhichtheprosaicumbrellawasthemystictentandmagicpavilion。Hemustneedsevenstopatthecornerofthewharf，andshowhertheexactspotwherehisunknownbenefactorappeared。
“Comingoutoftheshadowlikethatmanthere，“sheaddedbrightly，pointingtoafigurejustemergingfromtheobscurityofanoverhangingwarehouse。“Why，it’syourfriendtheminer！“
Randolphlooked。Itwasindeedthesameman，whohadprobablyreachedthewharfbyacrossstreet。
“Letusgoon，do！“saidMissAvondale，suddenlytighteningherholdofRandolph’sarminsomeinstinctivefemininealarm。“I
don’tlikethisplace。“
ButRandolph，withtheyounggirl’sarmclingingtohis，feltsupremelydaring。Indeed，Ifearhewassomewhatdisappointedwhenthestrangerpeacefullyturnedintothejunkshopatthecornerandleftthemtopursuetheirway。
Theyatlaststoppedbeforesomebusinessofficesonacentralthoroughfare，whereRandolphhadaroomonthethirdstory。Whentheyhadclimbedtheflightofstairsheunlockedadooranddisclosedagood-sizedapartmentwhichhadbeenintendedforanoffice，butwhichwasnowneatlyfurnishedasastudyandbedroom。
MissAvondalesmiledatthesingularcombination。
“Ishouldfancy，“shesaid，“youwouldneverfeelasifyouhadquiteleftthebankbehindyou。“Yet，withherairofprotectionandmatureexperience，sheatoncebegantomoveoneortwoarticlesoffurnitureintoamoretastefulposition，whileRandolph，neverthelessalittleembarrassedathisaudacityinaskingthisgoddessintohishumbleabode，hurriedlyunlockedacloset，broughtouttheportmanteau，andhandedhertheletterandphotograph。
Woman-like，MissAvondalelookedatthepicturefirst。Ifsheexperiencedanysurprise，sherepressedit。“ItisLIKEBobby，“
shesaidmeditatively，“buthewasstouterthen；andhe’schangedsadlysincehehasbeeninthisclimate。Idon’twonderyoudidn’trecognizehim。Hisfathermayhavehadittakensomedaywhentheywerealonetogether。Ididn’tknowofit，thoughIknowthephotographer。“Shethenlookedattheletter，knitherprettybrows，andwithanabstractedairsatdownontheedgeofRandolph’sbed，crossedherlittlefeet，andlookedpuzzled。Buthewasunabletodetecttheleastemotion。
“Yousee，“shesaid，“thehandwritingofmostchildrenwhoarelearningtowriteisverymuchalike，forthisisthestageofdevelopmentwhenthey’print。’Andtheircompositionisthesame: