see what it is, Brand," Lord Evelyn said, laughing, "you are jealous
of the foreigners. You think they will be using tooth-picks in her
presence, and that kind of thing."

"I wish to know that she and her mother are in a good hotel," said
Brand, simply, "with proper rooms, and attendance, and--and a carriage:
women can't go walking through these beastly streets of Naples. The long
and short of it is, Evelyn," he added, with some embarrassment, as he
took out from his pocket-book two blank checks, and sat down at the
table and signed them, "I want you to play the part of big brother to
them, don't you know? And you will have to exercise skill as well as
force. Don't you see, Calabressa is the best of fellows; but he would
think nothing of taking them to stay in some vile restaurant, if the
proprietor were politically inclined--"

"Yes, yes; I see: garlic; cigarettes during breakfast, right opposite
the ladies; wine-glasses used as finger-glasses: well, you are a
thorough Englishman, Brand!"

"I suppose, when your sisters go abroad, you see that they are directed
to a proper hotel?" said Brand, somewhat angrily.

"I know this," said Evelyn, laughing, "that my sisters, and you, and
Calabressa, and myself, all boiled together, wouldn't make half as good
a traveller as Natalie Lind is. Don't you believe she has been led away
into any slummy place, for the sake of politics or anything else. I will
bet she knows the best hotels in Naples as well as you do the Waldegrave
Club."

"At any rate, you've got to play the big brother, Evelyn; and it is my
affair, of course: I will not allow you to be out of pocket by it. Here
are two checks; you can fill them in over there when you see how matters
stand: ----, at Rome, will cash them."

"Do you mean to say I have to pay their hotel-bills?"

"If they have plenty of money, certainly not; but you must find out. You
must take the bull by the horns. It is far more likely that they have so
little money that they may be becoming anxious. Then you must use a firm
hand--I mean with Natalie. Her mother will acquiesce. And you can tell
Natalie that if she would buy something--some dress, or something--for
the mother of old Calabressa, who is still living--at Spezia, I
think--she would make the old chap glad. And that would be a mark of my
gratitude also; you see, I have never had even the chance of thanking
him as yet."

Lord Evelyn rose.

"Very well," said he, "I will send you a rep