-for winning Carmina's confidence, and exercising over
her the influence of a trusted friend. Miss Minerva made instant use of
her first opportunity.

"I can tell you what I have noticed myself," she said confidentially.
"When Mrs. Gallilee gives parties, I am allowed to be present--to see
the famous professors of science. On one of these occasions they were
talking of instinct and reason. Your cousin, Mr. Ovid Vere, said it was
no easy matter to decide where instinct ended and reason began. In
his own experience, he had sometimes found people of feeble minds, who
judged by instinct, arrive at sounder conclusions than their superiors
in intelligence, who judged by reason. The talk took another turn--and,
soon after, Doctor Benjulia joined the guests. I don't know whether you
have observed that Mr. Gallilee is very fond of his stepson?"

Oh, yes! Carmina had noticed that. "I like Mr. Gallilee," she said
warmly; "he is such a nice, kind-hearted, natural old man."

Miss Minerva concealed a sneer under a smile. Fond of Mr. Gallilee? what
simplicity! "Well," she resumed, "the doctor paid his respects to the
master of the house, and then he shook hands with Mr. Ovid; and then
the scientific gentlemen all got round him, and had learned talk. Mr.
Gallilee came up to his stepson, looking a little discomposed. He spoke
in a whisper--you know his way?--'Ovid, do you like Doctor Benjulia?
Don't mention it; I hate him.' Strong language for Mr. Gallilee, wasn't
it? Mr. Ovid said, 'Why do you hate him?' And poor Mr. Gallilee answered
like a child, 'Because I do.' Some ladies came in, and the old gentleman
left us to speak to them. I ventured to say to Mr. Ovid, 'Is that
instinct or reason?' He took it quite seriously. 'Instinct,' he
said--'and it troubles me.' I leave you, Miss Carmina, to draw your own
conclusion."

They both looked up. Ovid and the doctor were walking slowly away from
them, and were just passing Teresa and the child. At the same moment,
one of the keepers of the animals approached Benjulia. After they had
talked together for a while, the man withdrew. Zo (who had heard it all,
and had understood a part of it) ran up to Carmina, charged with news.

"There's a sick monkey in the gardens, in a room all by himself!" the
child cried. "And, I say, look there!" She pointed excitedly to Benjulia
and Ovid, walking on again slowly in the direction of the aviaries.
"There's the big doctor who tickles me! He says he'll see