control of it, as equal partner in the venture, deducting the capital

invested. He has great confidence in his success, and I hope for his

sake he won't be disappointed."

Philip could not but feel that he was treated very much like one of the

Bolton-family--by all except Ruth. His mother, when he went home after

his recovery from his accident, had affected to be very jealous of Mrs.

Bolton, about whom and Ruth she asked a thousand questions

--an affectation of jealousy which no doubt concealed a real heartache,

which comes to every mother when her son goes out into the world and

forms new ties. And to Mrs. Sterling; a widow, living on a small income

in a remote Massachusetts village, Philadelphia was a city of many

splendors. All its inhabitants seemed highly favored, dwelling in ease

and surrounded by superior advantages. Some of her neighbors had

relations living in Philadelphia, and it seemed to them somehow a

guarantee of respectability to have relations in Philadelphia.

Mrs. Sterling was not sorry to have Philip make his way among such

well-to-do people, and she was sure that no good fortune could be too

good for his deserts.

"So, sir," said Ruth, when Philip came from New York, "you have been

assisting in a pretty tragedy. I saw your name in the papers. Is this

woman a specimen of your western friends?"

My only assistance," replied Philip, a little annoyed, "was in trying to

keep Harry out of a bad scrape, and I failed after all. He walked into

The Gilded Age