e, who speculated much as to the strange vicissitudes of
life. She had great interest in her brother, who seemed destined by fate
to play a conspicuous part in the world; but she could not understand
him. Seeing that all those who were near to him in any way seemed to
rise or fall with his prosperity, she did not understand how justice and
morals were arranged in this world. There seemed to be certain general
principles--or people assumed there were--but apparently there were
exceptions. Assuredly her brother abided by no known rule, and yet
he seemed to be doing fairly well once more. What did this mean? Mrs.
Cowperwood, his former wife, condemned his actions, and yet accepted of
his prosperity as her due. What were the ethics of that?

Cowperwood's every action was known to Aileen Butler, his present
whereabouts and prospects. Not long after his wife's divorce, and after
many trips to and from this new world in which he was now living, these
two left Philadelphia together one afternoon in the winter. Aileen
explained to her mother, who was willing to go and live with Norah, that
she had fallen in love with the former banker and wished to marry
him. The old lady, gathering only a garbled version of it at first,
consented.

Thus ended forever for Aileen this long-continued relationship with this
older world. Chicago was before her--a much more distinguished career,
Frank told her, than ever they could have had in Philadelphia.

"Isn't it nice to be finally going?" she commented.

"It is advantageous, anyhow," he said.

Concerning Mycteroperca Bonaci

There is a certain fish, the scientific name of which is Mycteroperca
Bonaci, its common name Black Grouper, which is of considerable value
as an afterthought in this connection, and which deserves to be better
known. It is a healthy creature, growing quite regularly to a weight of
two hundred and fifty pounds, and lives a comfortable, lengthy existence
because of its very remarkable ability to adapt itself to conditions.
That very subtle thing which we call the creative power, and which
we endow with the spirit of the beatitudes, is supposed to build this
mortal life in such fashion that only honesty and virtue shall prevail.
Witness, then, the significant manner in which it has fashioned
the black grouper. One might go far afield and gather less forceful
indictments--the horrific spider spinning his trap for the unthinking
fly; the lovely Drosera (Sundew) usin