. And in a few moments their ship
bumped into its berth and they joined silently the crowd that pressed
forward.

After that she was conscious in his manner toward her of an increased
air of guardianship. It gave her a warm sense of comfort and security
and she found herself gradually confiding in it more and more. She
even sought his advice, finally, upon the intimate personal problems
that were troubling her so deeply. Did he think she ought to permit
her sister to motor with Mr. Brand? Was it likely that she herself
could find another situation that would carry her safely out of her
financial difficulties if she should continue to find her work under
Mr. Brand so disagreeable?

"I hesitate to say anything to you about these things, because I know
how much you dislike him," she apologized, "but I feel so uncertain
and so much worried about them, and there is nobody else to whom I can
go who knows him as well as you do. His whole character has changed so
much in the last few months that he hardly seems to be the same man. I
have an uneasy feeling that it isn't wise for my sister to go with
him, although it does seem the most innocent thing in the world, and
the kindest, for him to stop at our house, when he has some business
farther down the island, and take Isabella for a spin. She enjoys it
so much and she has so few pleasures. And she and mother have such
confidence in Mr. Brand that they feel sure he would never ask her to
do anything that wasn't perfectly all right. I felt that way, too, at
first, but I don't now."

"I am glad you have spoken of it," he replied with interest, "for I
have been thinking I ought to give you some warning before Felix
returns. He is simply serving a purpose of his own, an utterly selfish
purpose, and he is using her to help him gain his end without the
least compunction. Don't let her go again, Miss Marne, if you can
help it. I know Felix Brand through and through, and he is not to be
trusted."

Henrietta could only look at him speechless, her eyes wide with
apprehension.

"Don't be alarmed," he hastened to assure her. "I don't think there is
anything for you to be uneasy about, except that his influence is
always evil--" he paused on a raised inflection and looked at her
admiringly. "One of the reasons," he went on regardless of the abrupt
change, "why I like you and feel so sure that you are sound and good
and strong clear through is because you have not yielded in the least