gh!--your brother living only to help
others, and utterly forgetful of self; he regardless of everything but
the gratification of his own fancies--at least so far as we can see."

"Yes; Mr. De Burgh can hardly be termed a true Christian. Still, Gilbert
is rather too weak and credulous. I suspect he is very often taken in."

"Is it not better he should be sometimes, dear Miss Payne, than that
some poor deserving creature should perish for want of help?"

"Well, I don't know. Self-preservation is the first law of nature, and
if that law were more carefully obeyed, fewer would need help."

"Life is an unsolvable problem," said Katherine, and the remark reminded
her of her humble friend Rachel. She therefore sat down and wrote her a
kind, sympathetic letter, feeling some compunction for having allowed so
long an interval to elapse since her last.

Her own troubles had occupied her too much. Now that time was beginning
to accustom her to their weight, her deep interest in Rachel revived
even with more than its original force. Katherine did not make intimates
readily. Let there be ever so small a nook in the mind, ever so tiny an
incident in the past, which must be hidden from all eyes, and there can
be no free pass for outsiders, however dear or valued, to the sanctum of
the heart, which must remain sealed, a whispering gallery for its own
memories and aspirations. But Rachel Trant never dreamed of receiving
confidence, nor, after once having strung herself up to tell her sad
story, did she allude to her bitter past, save by an occasional word
expressing her profound sense of the new life she owed to Katherine; nor
did the latter, when talking with her face to face, ever realize that
there was any social difference between them. Rachel's voice, manner,
diction, and natural refinement were what might be expected from a
gentlewoman, only that through all sounded a strain of harsh strength,
the echo of that fierce despair from whose grip the tender consideration
of her new friend had delivered her. The evening's sail was very
tranquil and soothing. De Burgh was agreeable in the best way; that is,
he was sympathetically silent, except when Katherine spoke to him. The
boys and their governess sat together in the bow of the boat, where they
talked merrily together, occasionally running aft to ask more profound
questions of De Burgh and auntie. Fear of rheumatism and discomfort
generally kept Miss Payne at home on these occasion