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。