gave place to one of mild astonishment, as he appeared to recognize the
faces of one or two of those in the room. The business of the evening,
so far as the brief formalities were concerned, was speedily got over,
and five of the members of the small assembly immediately left.

"Now, Mr. Molyneux," said Ferdinand Lind, pleasantly, "Mr. Brand and I
have some small private matters to talk over: will you excuse us if we
leave you for a few minutes? Here are some articles of our association
which you may look over in the mean time. May I trouble you to follow
me, Mr. Brand?"

Brand followed him into an inner and smaller room, and sat down.

"You said you would have your mind made up to-day with regard to the
proposal I put before you," Mr. Lind observed, with a matter-of-fact
air, as he drew in his chair to the small table.

Brand simply nodded, and said "Yes." He was measuring his man. He
thought his manner was a good deal too suave.

"But allow me to say, my dear Mr. Brand, that, as far I am concerned,
there is no hurry. Have you given yourself time? It is a matter of
moment; one should consider."

"I have considered."

His tone was firm: one would have thought he had never had any
hesitation at all. But his decision had not been definitely arrived at
until, some quarter of an hour before, he had met Ferdinand Lind face to
face.

"I may say at once that I prefer to remain in my present grade."

He was watching Lind as he spoke. There was a slight, scarcely
perceptible, movement of the eyebrows; that was all. The quiet courtesy
of his manner remained undisturbed.

"That is your decision, then?" he said, just as if some trifling matter
had been arranged.

"Perhaps I need not bother you with my reasons," Brand continued,
speaking slowly and with precision, "but there are several."

"I have no doubt you have given the subject serious consideration,"
said Mr. Lind, without expressing any further interest or curiosity.

Now this was not at all what George Brand wanted. He wanted to have his
suspicions allayed or confirmed. He wanted to let this man know how he
read the situation.

"One reason I may as well name to you, Mr. Lind," said he, being forced
to speak more plainly. "If I were to marry, I should like to give my
wife a proper home. I should not like her to marry a pauper--one
dependent on the complaisance of other people. And really it has seemed
to me strange that you, with your daughter's future, your