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 sense, but that book is neither the one nor the other.”

“It is considered rather heretical in some quarters,” admitted Gilbert, “but I told you that before you took it, Miss Cornelia.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t have minded its being heretical. I can stand wickedness, but I can’t stand foolishness,” said Miss Cornelia calmly, and with the air of having said the last thing there was to say about Natural Law.

“Speaking of books, A Mad Love come to an end at last two weeks ago,” remarked Captain Jim musingly. “It run to one hundred and three chapters. When they got married the book stopped right off, so I reckon their troubles were all over. It’s real nice that that’s the way in books anyhow, isn’t it, even if ’tistn’t so anywhere else?”

“I never read novels,” said Miss Cornelia. “Did you hear how Geordie Russell was today, Captain Jim?”

“Yes, I called in on my way home to see him. He’s getting round all right—but stewing in a broth of trouble, as usual, poor man. ’Course he brews up most of it for himself, but I reckon that don’t make it any easier to bear.”

“He’s an awful pessimist,” said Miss Cornelia.

“Well, no, he ain’t a pessimist exactly, Cornelia. He only jest never finds anything that suits him.”

“And isn’t that a pessimist?”