age--after
a little reflection," said her brother, quietly. "Leave me to think it
over, and I'll let you know what to do. And now I'm going out."

"Where?"

"Why should you ask? Do I generally tell you where I am going? Well, if
you particularly want to know, I am going to the Novelty Theatre."

"To see Ethel act?"

"No--her part will be over by the time I get there. I shall probably see
her home."

Mrs. Romaine made no remonstrance. If she thought her brother's conduct
a trifle heartless, she did not venture to say so. She was sometimes
considerably in awe of Oliver, although he was only a younger brother.

She went into the drawing-room rather slowly, watching him as he put on
his hat and overcoat in the hall.

"There is one thing I meant to tell you to-night, but I forgot it until
now," she said, pausing at the drawing-room door. "I am nearly sure that
I saw Francis in the Square to-day."

Oliver turned round quickly. "The deuce you did! Did he see _you_?--did
he try to speak to you?"

"No, but I think that he is lying in wait. You made me promise to tell
you when I saw him next."

"Yes, indeed. I won't have him bothering you for money. If he wants
money he had better come to me."

"Have you so much, Noll?"

He frowned and turned away. "At any rate he is not to annoy you," he
said. "And I shall tell him so."

Mrs. Romaine made no objection. This ne'er-do-weel brother of
hers--Francis by name--had always been a trouble and perplexity to her.
He had been in the habit of appealing periodically to her for help, and
she had seldom failed to respond to the appeal, although she believed
that all the money she gave him went for gambling debt or drink; but
lately Oliver had interfered. He had said that Francis must henceforth
apply to him and not to Rosalind if he wanted help, which sounded kind
and brotherly enough; but Rosalind had a vague suspicion that there was
more than met the ear in this declaration. She fancied somehow, that
Oliver had secret and special reasons for preventing Francis'
applications to her. But she knew very well that it was useless to ask
questions or to make surmises respecting Oliver's motives and actions,
unless he chose to show a readiness to make them clear to her. So she
let him go out of the house without further remark.

As Oliver crossed the road, he noticed that a man was leaning against
the iron railings of the green enclosure in the middle of the Square.
The man's form