Helen turned away from him with a look of disgust. "Your brother is my guardian," she exclaimed; "and my father is the gentleman who gave him employment. I am quite prepared to believe your story, having lived with him for a year. And I am acquainted with some of the methods by which he tries to cheat his fellow-men into a belief of his goodness. I am thankful that he cannot cheat his Maker." As she said this, there was a flash of defiance in her eye which her pastor had not seen there for months. "Helen," he urged mildly but with a glance of reproof, "we will not pursue that subject any farther. Our business is to advise our friend what course to take." "How long, Mrs. Russel, will your landlord continue his offer?" "Only one month, and a week of that has gone." "I will write to Mr. Tracy to-night that I want five hundred dollars to help a poor woman," exclaimed Helen. "Oh, Miss! The Lord will reward you, I never can," answered the widow with a burst of grateful tears. [Illustration] CHAPTER XVII. THE DELICATE TITBIT. THE very next mail carried a note to the city to the effect proposed; and the writer awaited an answer with great impatience. It came at length, and was, as Mrs. Knowles had feared, a refusal. The words were these: "MY DEAR HELEN: When at your father's request, I undertook the charge of your fortune, I determined so to fulfil the trust that I might have nothing to regret on my dying bed. So far I have been enabled to do what I believe your father would approve. "I am sorry to refuse you the means of carrying out the generous purpose you have formed, but the loss you and your brother have lately met with, though small in comparison with your entire fortune, would make it impossible for ma to send you so large a sum as five hundred dollars without a great sacrifice on the stocks. "I trust you received your usual remittance for the quarter, which I forwarded just before your note came to hand, but for which I have not yet obtained a receipt. "Knowing your interest in the great philanthropic enterprises of the day, I take pleasure in sending you by this mail a copy of my speech at the meeting of donors. It has been highly applauded by my partial friends, and I may say by the public in general. Probably your clergyman and others may like to read it. "Your friend and guardian, "MONSON P. TRACY." In the first excitement of reading the letter, Helen threw the newspaper accompanying it to the farther corner of the room, where it lay unheeded until Nannie the next morning was sweeping the carpet. Then she picked it up, and laid it carefully among the magazines on the marble-topped table.