was affording her the keenest satisfaction. Her mother, who
had never seen her so genuinely happy and contented, beamed with shy
delight over the new pleasure that had come into their lives. For her
it was sadly darkened by her son's violent antagonism to their new
friend. They had learned that they must not mention Hugh Gordon's name
to him even in letters, and when he last came to see them, on one of
his brief and infrequent visits, they had trembled with anxiety during
the whole of his stay lest they might inadvertently approach too near
the subject that now loomed so large in the narrow round of their
lives and had brought such freshening and broadening of their
interests.

They speculated much as to the cause of the animosity between the two
men, and it was evident to Mrs. Brand, in all their talk, that her
daughter's sympathies were with Hugh Gordon. For Penelope, deep in her
heart, well concealed from her mother, had long harbored a feeling
toward her brother that was very near distrust and contempt. Mrs.
Brand had found in Hugh Gordon and the affection he plainly longed to
give and receive, a young man fashioned so much more after her spirit
than was her own son that her mother-heart yearned to enfold him also
in its love. It grieved her deeply to know how intense was the
bitterness between them.

"If they could only both be my boys, and be good friends," she said to
Penelope, with brimming eyes.

As Penelope opened her letter from Hugh Gordon she gazed with
astonishment at the check it contained, a check for a bigger sum than
she and her mother had ever possessed.

"Dear Sister Penelope," she read. "For you didn't say that I
mustn't call you sister, and so I shall, because you know
that is the way I think of you. I am very happy just now
thinking how surprised you will be when you see this check.
It is some money that I borrowed of Felix last winter when I
wanted to start in business. I am now paying it back to you
and your mother instead of to him, because I know that he is
not taking care of you as he ought, and also because I know
that if I pay it to him he will merely make some bad and
wasteful use of it. Enclosed you will find a memorandum of
the date, the principal, rate, interest and amount. I shall
tell him that I have sent it to you.

"I have wanted very much to see you during this last month,
for there are many things to tal