"Why--I--I----" The girl was really at a loss what to say. She did not know what he was driving at and she doubted the advisability of telling Uncle Starkweather everything that she had done while here in the city as his guest. "I was told this afternoon--not an hour ago--that you have been seen lurking about the most disreputable parts of the city. That you are a frequenter of low tenement houses; that you associate with foreigners and the most disgusting of beggars----" "I wish you would stop, Uncle," said Helen, quickly, her face flushing now and her eyes sparkling. "Sadie Goronsky is a nice girl, and her family is respectable. And poor old Mr. Lurcher is only unfortunate and half-blind. He will not harm me." "Beggars! Yiddish shoestring pedlars! A girl like you! Where--ahem!--_where_ did you ever get such low tastes, girl?" "Don't blame yourself, Uncle," said Helen, with some bitterness. "I certainly did not learn to be kind to poor people from _your_ example. And I am sure I have gained no harm from being with them once in a while--only good. To help them a little has helped me--I assure you!" But Mr. Starkweather listened not at all to this. "Where did you find these low companions?" he demanded. "I met Sadie the night I arrived here in the city. The taxicab driver carried me to Madison Street instead of Madison Avenue. Sadie was kind to me. As for old Mr. Lurcher, I saw him first in Mr. Grimes's office." Uncle Starkweather suddenly lost his color and fell back in his chair. For a moment or two he seemed unable to speak at all. Then he stammered: "In Fenwick Grimes's office?" "Yes, sir." "What--what was this--ahem!--this beggar doing there?" "If he is a beggar, perhaps he was begging. At least, Mr. Grimes seemed very anxious to get rid of him, and gave him a dollar to go away." "And you followed him?" gasped Mr. Starkweather. "No. I went to see Sadie, and it seems Mr. Lurcher lives right in that neighborhood. I found he needed spectacles and was half-blind and I----" "Tell me nothing more about it! Nothing more about it!" commanded her uncle, holding up a warning hand. "I will not--ahem!--listen. This has gone too far. I gave you shelter--an act of charity, girl! And you have abused my confidence by consorting with low company, and spending your time in a mean part of the town." "You are wrong, sir. I have done nothing of the kind," said Helen, firmly, but growing angry herself, now. "My friends are decent people, and a poor part of the city does not necessarily mean a criminal part." "Hush! How dare you contradict me?" demanded her uncle. "You shall go home. You shall go back to the West at once! Ahem! At once. I could not assume the responsibility of your presence here in my house any longer." "Then I will find a position and support myself, Uncle Starkweather. I have told you I could do that before."