is not of great consequence to me.
But my father's property, if anything happens to me, ought to go intact
to my sister's boys, to whom, indeed, I have left it by will. I will say
to Lind, 'Is it myself or my money that is wanted: you must choose.'"

"The question would be an insult."

"Oh, do you think so? Very well; I will not ask it. But that is the
understanding." Then he added, more lightly, "Why, would you have the
Pilgrim start with his pocket full of sovereigns? His staff and his
wallet are all he is entitled to. And when one is going to make a big
plunge, shouldn't one strip?"

There was no answer; for Lord Evelyn's quick ear had caught the sound of
wheels in the adjacent street.

"There is my trap," he said, looking at his watch as he rose.

Waters brought the young man his coat, and then went out to light him
down-stairs.

"Good-night, Brand. Glad to see you are getting into a wholesomer frame
of mind. I shall tell Natalie you are now prepared to admit that there
is in the world at least one woman who is not a cheat."

"I hope you will not utter a word to Miss Lind of any of the nonsense we
have been talking," said Brand, hastily, and with his face grown red.

"All right. By-the-way, when are you coming up to see the girls?"

"To-morrow afternoon: will that do?"

"Very well; I shall wait in."

"Let me see if I remember the order aright," said Brand, holding up his
fingers and counting. "Rosalys, Blanche, Ermentrude, Agnes, Jane,
Frances, Geraldine: correct?"

"Quite. I think their mother must forget at times. Well, good-night."

"Good-night--good-night!"

Brand returned to the empty room, and threw wide open one of the
windows. The air was singularly mild for a night in March; but he had
been careful of his friend. Then he dropped into an easy-chair, and
opened a letter.

It was the letter from Natalie Lind, which he had held in his hand ever
since, eagerly hoping that Evelyn would forget it--as, in fact, he had
done. And now with what a strange interest he read and re-read it; and
weighed all its phrases; and tried to picture her as she wrote these
lines; and studied even the peculiarities of the handwriting. There was
a quaint, foreign look here and there--the capital B, for example, was
written in German fashion; and that letter occurred a good many times.
It was Mr. Brand, and Mr. Brand, over and over again--in this friendly
and frank gossip, which had all the brightness of a chat over a