urdities, would ever be proven--as they have
been--very terrible realities. On subjects of ordinary educational
interest my hostess displayed such full knowledge of the question and
ease in dealing with it, that I listened, fascinated, as long as she
chose to continue speaking. It was a novel and delightful experience to
hear a girl as handsome as a pictorial masterpiece, and dressed like a
court beauty, discourse with the knowledge, and in the language, of the
oldest philosopher. But this was only one of the many surprising
combinations in her complex personality. My noviciate was still in its
first stage.

The time to set out for the meeting arrived all too soon for my
inclination. We decided to walk, the evening being fine and not too
warm, and the distance only a ten minutes' stroll. At a street crossing,
we met a crowd unusually large for that neighbourhood. Miss Brande
again surprised me. She was watching the crowd seething and swarming
past. Her dark eyes followed the people with a strange wondering,
pitying look which I did not understand. Her face, exquisite in its
expression at all times, was now absolutely transformed, beatified.
Brande had often spoken to me of mesmerism, clairvoyance, and similar
subjects, and it occurred to me that he had used his sister as a medium,
a clairvoyante. Her brain was not, therefore, under normal control. I
determined instantly to tell him on the first opportunity that if he did
not wish to see the girl permanently injured, he would have to curtail
his hypnotic influence.

"It is rather a stirring sight," I said so sharply to Miss Brande that
she started. I meant to startle her, but did not succeed as far as I
wished.

"It is a very terrible sight," she answered.

"Oh, there is no danger," I said hastily, and drew her hand over my arm.

"Danger! I was not thinking of danger."

As she did not remove her hand, I did not infringe the silence which
followed this, until a break in the traffic allowed us to cross the
street. Then I said:

"May I ask what you were thinking of just now, Miss Brande?"

"Of the people--their lives--their work--their misery!"

"I assure you many are very happy," I replied. "You take a morbid view.
Misery is not the rule. I am sure the majority are happy."

"What difference does that make?" the girl said with a sigh. "What is
the end of it all--the meaning of it all? Their happiness! _Cui Bono?_"

We walked on in silence, while I turned over i