Mark did not fail to call at Mr. Rockwell's office during the following week.
Nichols, the clerk, who had already shown a friendly interest in him, received him kindly.
"Mr. Rockwell is still confined at his house," he said. "The affair of last week was a great shock to him, and, not being a strong man, he is quite prostrated."
"I am sorry to hear it," said Mark in a tone of sympathy, "but I am not surprised. That is what I read in the papers. Still, as I was asked to call at the office, I have done so."
"I am glad to see you. I hope you are getting along well."
"How do you like being a telegraph messenger?"
"It will do very well for a boy, but it leads to nothing. I wish I could get into some position where I would be promoted."
"That will come after a while, if you show yourself faithful and reliable."
The next day Mark had a surprise. Walking past the Metropolitan Hotel, not far from Houston Street, he saw a boy just leaving the hotel whose face and figure were familiar.
"Edgar Talbot!" he exclaimed in surprise.
"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Edgar, turning at the call.
"Yes; how do you happen to visit New York again so soon?"
"We are going to move to New York," answered Edgar. "Father feels that Syracuse is too small a place for a man of his business ability," he added in a consequential tone.
"No. We shall live in a nice flat up town, near the Park."
This was news indeed. Mark felt no interest in any of the family except in Mrs. Talbot, his mother's sister, who alone of all displayed a friendly regard for her poor relatives.
"Mother will be glad to hear of it," he said.
"Because your mother is her only sister, and she will like to call on her."
"Look here!" said Edgar. "I hope you don't expect to be on visiting terms at our house."
"Why not? You are my own cousin, aren't you?"
"Yes, I suppose so," answered Edgar, making the admission grudgingly, "but of course there is a great difference in our social positions."
"You mean that you are rich and we are poor?"
"I don't care a particle about seeing you, but my mother will be glad to see her sister."
"Oh, well! Mother can call at your--tenement house, now and then, but it would be better that none of you should call on us."
"Because we wouldn't like to let the servants know that we have such poor relations."