t return, of a feeling toward
him of physical repulsion and this she knew was growing upon her. As
she recalled these things her thoughts flashed uneasily back to her
sister. She felt wretchedly ignorant and uncertain as to what she
ought to do and wished there were some one better versed in worldly
knowledge than herself to whom she could go for advice.

"I can't talk it over with mother," she thought, "because it would
make her worry about it and about me, and I don't like to go to Dr.
Annister, because he has enough troubles to listen to, with all those
half-crazy patients of his, and Mrs. Annister admires Mr. Brand so
much that she'd be offended by any suggestion that he isn't all right
and--well, I don't think she's very level-headed anyway. I wish I
could see Mr. Gordon again--it seems a long time. But I ought not to
tell him anything about these things even if I should see him, since
there seems to be so much feeling between him and Mr. Brand.

"And I'm afraid Bella wouldn't pay much attention to anything that was
contrary to her own desires, anyway. I don't like the kind of
influence Mr. Brand seems to be having over her. I understand it,
because he used to make me feel that way myself--dissatisfied and
selfish and wishful of all sorts of delightful things that I couldn't
have. Well, I went through it all right, without any bad results
except my own ugly feelings; and she's so dear and sweet and so
happy-natured I guess she will, too, after a little."

She reached the avenue where ran the trolley line that carried her to
the ferry and saw that she had just missed a car.

"Oh, dear! Isn't that provoking?" she muttered as she watched it
rattling on its way. "And there isn't another one in sight yet. I hope
I won't have to wait long, for I do want to get there early this
morning, there's so much to do today."

Her thoughts sped on to her office and the duties that awaited her and
hovered over the familiar figure of her employer at work at his desk.

"I don't see," she argued with herself, "how it can be true that he is
living a bad life when he is working so hard."

She remembered how eagerly upon his return he had plunged into the
work awaiting him and with what absorption he had devoted himself to
it ever since. Repeatedly during the last two or three weeks he had
told her that never before had he worked so rapidly and so easily and
with such satisfaction in the results.

With keen pleasure and interest