ecause she thinks she
is forgotten. A word of remembrance would be kind, if her friend is
discreet and secret. Above all, no open strife. This from one who
departs. Farewell!"

CHAPTER XXV.

A FRIEND'S ADVICE.

This must be said for George Brand, that while he was hard and
unsympathetic in the presence of those whom he disliked or distrusted,
in the society of those whom he did like and did trust he was docile and
acquiescent as a child, easily led and easily persuaded. When he went
from Lind's chamber, which had been to him full of an atmosphere of
impatience and antagonism, to Lord Evelyn's study, and found his friend
sitting reading there, his whole attitude changed; and his first duty
was to utter a series of remonstrances about the thousand pounds.

"You can't afford it, Evelyn. Why didn't you come to me? I would have
given it to you a dozen times over rather than you should have paid it."

"No doubt you would," said the pale lad. "That is why I did not come to
you."

"I wish you could get it back."

"I would not take it back. It is little enough I can do; why not let me
give such help as I can? If only those girls would begin to marry off, I
might do more. But there is such a band of them that men are afraid to
come near them."

"I think it would be a pity to spoil the group," said Brand. "The
country should subscribe to keep them as they are--the perfect picture
of an English family. However, to return: you must promise me not to
commit any of these extravagances again. If any appeal is made to you,
come to me."

But here a thought seemed to strike him;

"Ah," he said, "I have something to tell you. Lind is trying to get me
to enter the same grade of officership with himself. And do you know
what the first qualification is?--that you give up every penny you
possess in the world."

"Well?"

"Well!"

The two friends stared at each other--the one calmly inquisitive, the
other astounded.

"I thought you would have burst out laughing!" Brand exclaimed.

"Why?" said the other. "You have already done more for them--for
us--than that: why should you not do all in your power? Why should you
not do all that you can, and while you can? Look!"

They were standing at the window. On the other side of the street far
below them were some funeral carriages; at this precise moment the
coffin was being carried across the pavement.

"That is the end of it. I say, why shouldn't you do all that you can,