nity.

"Thank me for telling you," Felix rejoined. "It 's a good thing to
know."

"I am not sure of that," said Mr. Brand.

"Ah, don't let her languish!" Felix murmured, lightly and softly.

"You do advise me, then?" And Mr. Brand looked up.

"I congratulate you!" said Felix, smiling. He had thought at first his
visitor was simply appealing; but he saw he was a little ironical.

"It is in your interest; you have interfered with me," the young
clergyman went on.

Felix still stood and smiled. The little room had grown darker, and the
crimson glow had faded; but Mr. Brand could see the brilliant expression
of his face. "I won't pretend not to know what you mean," said Felix
at last. "But I have not really interfered with you. Of what you had
to lose--with another person--you have lost nothing. And think what you
have gained!"

"It seems to me I am the proper judge, on each side," Mr. Brand
declared. He got up, holding the brim of his hat against his mouth and
staring at Felix through the dusk.

"You have lost an illusion!" said Felix.

"What do you call an illusion?"

"The belief that you really know--that you have ever really
known--Gertrude Wentworth. Depend upon that," pursued Felix. "I don't
know her yet; but I have no illusions; I don't pretend to."

Mr. Brand kept gazing, over his hat. "She has always been a lucid,
limpid nature," he said, solemnly.

"She has always been a dormant nature. She was waiting for a touchstone.
But now she is beginning to awaken."

"Don't praise her to me!" said Mr. Brand, with a little quaver in his
voice. "If you have the advantage of me that is not generous."

"My dear sir, I am melting with generosity!" exclaimed Felix. "And I am
not praising my cousin. I am simply attempting a scientific definition
of her. She doesn't care for abstractions. Now I think the contrary
is what you have always fancied--is the basis on which you have been
building. She is extremely preoccupied with the concrete. I care for the
concrete, too. But Gertrude is stronger than I; she whirls me along!"

Mr. Brand looked for a moment into the crown of his hat. "It 's a most
interesting nature."

"So it is," said Felix. "But it pulls--it pulls--like a runaway horse.
Now I like the feeling of a runaway horse; and if I am thrown out of
the vehicle it is no great matter. But if you should be thrown, Mr.
Brand"--and Felix paused a moment--"another person also would suffer
from the accident."

"W