ng so much attention to me you are following
a shadow--you are wasting something precious. There is something else
you might have that you don't look at--something better than I am. That
is a reality!" And then, with intention, she looked at him and tried
to smile a little. He thought this smile of hers very strange; but she
turned away and left him.

She wandered about alone in the garden wondering what Mr. Brand would
make of her words, which it had been a singular pleasure for her to
utter. Shortly after, passing in front of the house, she saw at a
distance two persons standing near the garden gate. It was Mr. Brand
going away and bidding good-night to Charlotte, who had walked down with
him from the house. Gertrude saw that the parting was prolonged. Then
she turned her back upon it. She had not gone very far, however, when
she heard her sister slowly following her. She neither turned round nor
waited for her; she knew what Charlotte was going to say. Charlotte, who
at last overtook her, in fact presently began; she had passed her arm
into Gertrude's.

"Will you listen to me, dear, if I say something very particular?"

"I know what you are going to say," said Gertrude. "Mr. Brand feels very
badly."

"Oh, Gertrude, how can you treat him so?" Charlotte demanded. And as her
sister made no answer she added, "After all he has done for you!"

"What has he done for me?"

"I wonder you can ask, Gertrude. He has helped you so. You told me so
yourself, a great many times. You told me that he helped you to struggle
with your--your peculiarities. You told me that he had taught you how to
govern your temper."

For a moment Gertrude said nothing. Then, "Was my temper very bad?" she
asked.

"I am not accusing you, Gertrude," said Charlotte.

"What are you doing, then?" her sister demanded, with a short laugh.

"I am pleading for Mr. Brand--reminding you of all you owe him."

"I have given it all back," said Gertrude, still with her little laugh.
"He can take back the virtue he imparted! I want to be wicked again."

Her sister made her stop in the path, and fixed upon her, in the
darkness, a sweet, reproachful gaze. "If you talk this way I shall
almost believe it. Think of all we owe Mr. Brand. Think of how he has
always expected something of you. Think how much he has been to us.
Think of his beautiful influence upon Clifford."

"He is very good," said Gertrude, looking at her sister. "I know he is
very good. But h