difficulty, or disappointment, or anything else. Brand is such
a man. If I were to be disabled to-morrow, I would rather leave my work
in his hands than in the hands of any man I have seen in this country."

Was it to hide the deepening color in her face that the girl went round
to her father, and stood rather behind him, and put her hand on his
shoulder, and stooped down to his ear.

"Papa," said she, "I--I hope you don't think I have been saying anything
against Mr. Brand. Oh no. How could I do that--when he has been so kind
to us--and--and just now especially, when he is about to become one of
us? You must forget what I said about his being English, papa; after
all, it is not for us to say that being English is anything else than
being kind, and generous, and hospitable. And I am exceedingly pleased
that you have got another associate, and that we have got another good
friend, in England."

"Alors, as Calabressa would say, you can show that you are pleased,
Natalie," her father said, lightly, "by going and writing a pretty
little note, asking your new friend, Mr. Brand, to dine with us
to-night, after the initiation is over, and I will ask Evelyn, if I see
him."

But this proposal in no wise seemed to lessen the girl's embarrassment.
She still clung about the back of her father's chair.

"I would rather not do that, papa," said she, after a second.

"Why? why?" said he.

"Would it not look less formal for you to ask him, papa? You see, it is
once or twice that we have asked him to dine with us without giving him
proper notice--"

"Oh, that is nothing--nothing at all. A bachelor with an evening
disengaged is glad enough to fill it up anyhow. Well, if you would
rather not write, Natalie, I will ask him myself."

"Thank you, papa," said she, apparently much relieved, and therewith she
went back to her seat, and her father turned to his newspaper.

The day passed, and the evening came. As six o'clock was striking,
George Brand presented himself at the little door in Lisle street, Soho,
and was admitted. Lind had already assured him that, as far as England
was concerned, no idle mummeries were associated with the ceremony of
initiation; to which Brand had calmly replied, that if mummeries were
considered necessary, he was as ready as any one to do his part of the
business. Only he added that he thought the unknown powers had acted
wisely--so far as England was concerned--in discarding such things.

When he en