occupation，suddenlyseizedwithagreatembarrassment，thetimidityofasecondchildhood。Hewentonabouthisbusiness，disturbedandthoughtful。Shehurrieduptohertinyroom，hercuriouslittlefalsecurlsshakingwithheragitation，thefaintestsuggestionofaflushcomingandgoinginherwitheredcheeks。Theemotionofoneofthesechancemeetingsremainedwiththemduringalltherestoftheday。
Wasitthefirstromanceinthelivesofeach？DidOldGranniseverrememberacertainfaceamongstthosethathehadknownwhenhewasyoungGrannis——thefaceofsomepale-
hairedgirl，suchasoneseesintheoldcathedraltownsofEngland？DidMissBakerstilltreasureupinaseldomopeneddrawerorboxsomefadeddaguerreotype，somestrangeold-fashionedlikeness，withitscurlinghairandhighstock？Itwasimpossibletosay。
MariaMacapa，theMexicanwomanwhotookcareofthelodgers’rooms，hadbeenthefirsttocalltheflat’sattentiontotheaffair，spreadingthenewsofitfromroomtoroom，fromfloortofloor。Oflateshehadmadeagreatdiscovery；allthewomenfolkoftheflatwereyetvibrantwithit。OldGranniscamehomefromhisworkatfouro’clock，andbetweenthattimeandsixMissBakerwouldsitinherroom，herhandsidleinherlap，doingnothing，listening，waiting。OldGrannisdidthesame，drawinghisarm-chairneartothewall，knowingthatMissBakerwasupontheotherside，conscious，perhaps，thatshewasthinkingofhim；andtherethetwowouldsitthroughthehoursoftheafternoon，listeningandwaiting，theydidnotknowexactlyforwhat，butneartoeachother，separatedonlybythethinpartitionoftheirrooms。Theyhadcometoknoweachother’shabits。OldGrannisknewthatatquarteroffivepreciselyMissBakermadeacupofteaovertheoilstoveonthestandbetweenthebureauandthewindow。MissBakerfeltinstinctivelytheexactmomentwhenOldGrannistookdownhislittlebindingapparatusfromthesecondshelfofhisclothesclosetandbeganhisfavoriteoccupationofbindingpamphlets——pamphletsthatheneverread，forallthat。
Inhis“Parlors“McTeaguebeganhisweek’swork。Heglancedintheglasssaucerinwhichhekepthissponge-gold，andnoticingthathehadusedupallhispellets，setaboutmakingsomemore。InexaminingMissBaker’steethatthepreliminarysittinghehadfoundacavityinoneoftheincisors。MissBakerhaddecidedtohaveitfilledwithgold。McTeaguerememberednowthatitwaswhatiscalleda“proximatecase，“wherethereisnotsufficientroomtofillwithlargepiecesofgold。Hetoldhimselfthatheshouldhavetouse“mats“inthefilling。Hemadesomedozenofthese“mats“fromhistapeofnon-cohesivegold，cuttingittransverselyintosmallpiecesthatcouldbeinsertededgewisebetweentheteethandconsolidatedbypacking。
Afterhehadmadehis“mats“hecontinuedwiththeotherkindofgoldfillings，suchashewouldhaveoccasiontouseduringtheweek；“blocks“tobeusedinlargeproximalcavities，madebyfoldingthetapeonitselfanumberoftimesandthenshapingitwiththesolderingpliers；
“cylinders“forcommencingfillings，whichheformedbyrollingthetapearoundaneedlecalleda“broach，“cuttingitafterwardsintodifferentlengths。Heworkedslowly，mechanically，turningthefoilbetweenhisfingerswiththemanualdexteritythatonesometimesseesinstupidpersons。
Hisheadwasquiteemptyofallthought，andhedidnotwhistleoverhisworkasanothermanmighthavedone。Thecanarymadeupforhissilence，trillingandchitteringcontinually，splashingaboutinitsmorningbath，keepingupanincessantnoiseandmovementthatwouldhavebeenmaddeningtoanyonebutMcTeague，whoseemedtohavenonervesatall。
Afterhehadfinishedhisfillings，hemadeahookbroachfromabitofpianowiretoreplaceanoldonethathehadlost。Itwastimeforhisdinnerthen，andwhenhereturnedfromthecarconductors’coffee-joint，hefoundMissBakerwaitingforhim。
TheancientlittledressmakerwasatalltimeswillingtotalkofOldGrannistoanybodythatwouldlisten，quiteunconsciousofthegossipoftheflat。McTeaguefoundheralla-flutterwithexcitement。Somethingextraordinaryhadhappened。Shehadfoundoutthatthewall-paperinOldGrannis’sroomwasthesameasthatinhers。
“Ithasledmetothinking，DoctorMcTeague，“sheexclaimed，shakingherlittlefalsecurlsathim。“Youknowmyroomissosmall，anyhow，andthewall-paperbeingthesame——thepatternfrommyroomcontinuesrightintohis——Ideclare，I
believeatonetimethatwasalloneroom。Thinkofit，doyousupposeitwas？Italmostamountstoouroccupyingthesameroom。Idon’tknow——why，really——doyouthinkIshouldspeaktothelandladyaboutit？Heboundpamphletslastnightuntilhalf-pastnine。Theysaythathe’stheyoungersonofabaronet；thattherearereasonsforhisnotcomingtothetitle；hisstepfatherwrongedhimcruelly。“
Noonehadeversaidsuchathing。ItwaspreposteroustoimagineanymysteryconnectedwithOldGrannis。MissBakerhadchosentoinventthelittlefiction，hadcreatedthetitleandtheunjuststepfatherfromsomedimmemoriesofthenovelsofhergirlhood。
Shetookherplaceintheoperatingchair。McTeaguebeganthefilling。Therewasalongsilence。ItwasimpossibleforMcTeaguetoworkandtalkatthesametime。
Hewasjustburnishingthelast“mat“inMissBaker’stooth，whenthedoorofthe“Parlors“opened，janglingthebellwhichhehadhungoverit，andwhichwasabsolutelyunnecessary。McTeagueturned，onefootonthepedalofhisdentalengine，thecorundumdiskwhirlingbetweenhisfingers。
ItwasMarcusSchoulerwhocamein，usheringayounggirlofabouttwenty。
“Hello，Mac，“exclaimedMarcus；“busy？Broughtmycousinroundaboutthatbrokentooth。“
McTeaguenoddedhisheadgravely。
“Inaminute，“heanswered。
MarcusandhiscousinTrinasatdownintherigidchairsunderneaththesteelengravingoftheCourtofLorenzode’
Medici。Theybegantalkinginlowtones。Thegirllookedabouttheroom，noticingthestonepugdog，theriflemanufacturer’scalendar，thecanaryinitslittlegiltprison，andthetumbledblanketsontheunmadebed-loungeagainstthewall。MarcusbegantellingheraboutMcTeague。
“We’repals，“heexplained，justaboveawhisper。“Ah，Mac’sallright，youbet。Say，Trina，he’sthestrongestduckyoueversaw。Whatdoyousuppose？Hecanpulloutyourteethwithhisfingers；yes，hecan。Whatdoyouthinkofthat？Withhisfingers，mindyou；hecan，forafact。
Getontothesizeofhim，anyhow。Ah，Mac’sallright！“
MariaMacapahadcomeintotheroomwhilehehadbeenspeaking。ShewasmakingupMcTeague’sbed。SuddenlyMarcusexclaimedunderhisbreath：“Nowwe’llhavesomefun。It’sthegirlthattakescareoftherooms。She’sagreaser，andshe’squeerinthehead。Sheain’tregularlycrazy，butIdon’tknow，she’squeer。Y’oughttohearhergoonaboutagolddinnerserviceshesaysherfolksusedtoown。Askherwhathernameisandseewhatshe’llsay。“Trinashrankback，alittlefrightened。
“No，youask，“shewhispered。
“Ah，goon；whatyou’fraidof？“urgedMarcus。Trinashookherheadenergetically，shuttingherlipstogether。
“Well，listenhere，“answeredMarcus，nudgingher；thenraisinghisvoice，hesaid：
“Howdo，Maria？“Marianoddedtohimoverhershoulderasshebentoverthelounge。
“Workunhardnowadays，Maria？“
“Prettyhard。“
“Diduntalwayshavetoworkforyourliving，though，didyou，whenyouateoffagolddishes？“Mariadidn’tanswer，exceptbyputtingherchinintheairandshuttinghereyes，asthoughtosaysheknewalongstoryaboutthatifshehadamindtotalk。AllMarcus’seffortstodrawheroutonthesubjectwereunavailing。Sheonlyrespondedbymovementsofherhead。
“Can’talwaysstarthergoing，“Marcustoldhiscousin。
“Whatdoesshedo，though，whenyouaskherabouthername？“
“Oh，sure，“saidMarcus，whohadforgotten。“Say，Maria，what’syourname？“
“Huh？“askedMaria，straighteningup，herhandsonhehips。
“Tellusyourname，“repeatedMarcus。
“NameisMaria——Miranda——Macapa。“Then，afterapause，sheadded，asthoughshehadbutthatmomentthoughtofit，“Hadaflyingsquirrelan’lethimgo。“
InvariablyMariaMacapamadethisanswer。Itwasnotalwaysshewouldtalkaboutthefamousserviceofgoldplate，butaquestionastohernameneverfailedtoelicitthesamestrangeanswer，deliveredinarapidundertone：“NameisMaria——Miranda——Macapa。“Then，asifstruckwithanafterthought，“Hadaflyingsquirrelan’lethimgo。“
WhyMariashouldassociatethereleaseofthemythicalsquirrelwithhernamecouldnotbesaid。AboutMariatheflatknewabsolutelynothingfurtherthanthatshewasSpanish-American。MissBakerwastheoldestlodgerintheflat，andMariawasafixturethereasmaidofallworkwhenshehadcome。TherewasalegendtotheeffectthatMaria’speoplehadbeenatonetimeimmenselywealthyinCentralAmerica。
Mariaturnedagaintoherwork。TrinaandMarcuswatchedhercuriously。Therewasasilence。ThecorundumburrinMcTeague’senginehummedinaprolongedmonotone。Thecanarybirdchitteredoccasionally。Theroomwaswarm，andthebreathingofthefivepeopleinthenarrowspacemadetheaircloseandthick。Atlongintervalsanacridodorofinkfloatedupfromthebranchpost-officeimmediatelybelow。
MariaMacapafinishedherworkandstartedtoleave。AsshepassednearMarcusandhiscousinshestopped，anddrewabunchofblueticketsfurtivelyfromherpocket。“Buyaticketinthelottery？“sheinquired，lookingatthegirl。
“Justadollar。“
“Goalongwithyou，Maria，“saidMarcus，whohadbutthirtycentsinhispocket。“Goalong；it’sagainstthelaw。“
“Buyaticket，“urgedMaria，thrustingthebundletowardTrina。“Tryyourluck。Thebutcheronthenextblockwontwentydollarsthelastdrawing。“
Veryuneasy，Trinaboughtaticketforthesakeofbeingridofher。Mariadisappeared。
“Ain’tsheaqueerbird？“mutteredMarcus。HewasmuchembarrassedanddisturbedbecausehehadnotboughttheticketforTrina。
Buttherewasasuddenmovement。McTeaguehadjustfinishedwithMissBaker。
“Youshouldnotice，“thedressmakersaidtothedentist，inalowvoice，“healwaysleavesthedooralittleajarintheafternoon。“Whenshehadgoneout，MarcusSchoulerbroughtTrinaforward。
“Say，Mac，thisismycousin，TrinaSieppe。“Thetwoshookhandsdumbly，McTeagueslowlynoddinghishugeheadwithitsgreatshockofyellowhair。Trinawasverysmallandprettilymade。Herfacewasroundandratherpale；hereyeslongandnarrowandblue，likethehalf-openeyesofalittlebaby；herlipsandthelobesofhertinyearswerepale，alittlesuggestiveofanaemia；whileacrossthebridgeofhernoserananadorablelittlelineoffreckles。
Butitwastoherhairthatone’sattentionwasmostattracted。Heapsandheapsofblue-blackcoilsandbraids，aroyalcrownofswarthybands，averitablesabletiara，heavy，abundant，odorous。Allthevitalitythatshouldhavegivencolortoherfaceseemedtohavebeenabsorbedbythismarvelloushair。Itwasthecoiffureofaqueenthatshadowedthepaletemplesofthislittlebourgeoise。Soheavywasitthatittippedherheadbackward，andthepositionthrustherchinoutalittle。Itwasacharmingpoise，innocent，confiding，almostinfantile。
Shewasdressedallinblack，verymodestandplain。Theeffectofherpalefaceinallthiscontrastingblackwasalmostmonastic。
“Well，“exclaimedMarcussuddenly，“Igottogo。Mustgetbacktowork。Don’thurthertoomuch，Mac。S’long，Trina。“
McTeagueandTrinawereleftalone。Hewasembarrassed，troubled。Theseyounggirlsdisturbedandperplexedhim。