nd very red about the neck; his linen might have
been considerably cleaner, and his coat better brushed. But he seemed
in excellent spirits, and glowed when his visitor began by saying that
she wished to speak in confidence of a delicate matter.

"Mr. Otway, you have an elder brother, his name Daniel."

The listener's countenance fell.

"Madam, I'm sorry to say I have."

"He has written to me, more than once, a begging letter. My name
doesn't matter; I'll only say now that he used to know me slightly long
ago. I wish to ask you whether he is really in want."

Alexander hesitated, with much screwing of the features.

"Well, he may be, now and then," was his reply at length. "I have
helped him, but, to tell the truth, it's not much good. So far as I
know, he has no regular supplies--but it's his own fault."

"Exactly." Olga evidently approached a point still more delicate. "I
presume he has worn out the patience of _both_ brothers?"

"Ah!" The agent shook his head, "I'm sorry to say that the _other's_
patience--I see you know something of our family circumstances--never
allowed itself to be tried. He's very well off, I believe, but he'll do
nothing for poor Dan, and never would. I'm bound to admit Dan has his
faults, but still----"

His brows expressed sorrow rather than anger on the subject of his
hard-fisted relative.

"Do you happen to know anything," pursued Olga, lowering her voice, "of
a transaction about certain--certain letters, which were given up by
Daniel Otway?"

"Why--yes. I've heard something about that affair."

"Those letters, I always understood, were purchased from him at a
considerable price."

"That's true," replied Alexander, smiling familiarly as he leaned
across the table. "But the considerable price was never paid--not one
penny of it."

Olga's face changed. She had a wondering lost, pained look.

"Mr. Otway, are you _sure_ of that?"

"Well, pretty sure. Dan has talked of it more than once, and I don't
think he could talk as he does if there wasn't a real grievance. I'm
very much afraid he was cheated. Perhaps I oughtn't to use that word; I
daresay Dan had no right to ask money for the letters at all. But there
was a bargain, and I'm afraid it wasn't honourably kept on the other
side."

Olga reflected for a moment, and rose, saying that she was obliged,
that this ended her business. Alexander's curiosity sought to prolong
the conversation, but in vain. He then threw out a word