the difficulty," said the other: but he
consented; and yard after yard of the thread-like chain was unrolled.
When allowed to drop together, it seemed to go into no compass at all.

They went outside.

"What are you going to do now, Brand?"

The other was looking cheerless enough.

"I?" he said, with the slightest possible shrug. "I suppose I must go
down to the club, and yawn away the time till dinner."

"Then why not come with me? I have a commission or two from my
sisters--one as far out as Notting Hill; but after that we can drive
back through the Park and call on the Linds. I dare say Lind will be
home by that time."

Lord Evelyn's friend was more than delighted. As they drove from place
to place he was a good deal more talkative than was his wont; and, among
other things, confessed his belief that Ferdinand Lind seemed much too
hard-headed a man to be engaged in mere visionary enterprises. But
somehow the conversation generally came round to Mr. Lind's daughter;
and Brand seemed very anxious to find out to what degree she was
cognizant of her father's schemes. On this point Lord Evelyn knew
nothing.

At last they arrived at the house in Curzon Street, and found Mr. Lind
just on the point of entering. He stayed to receive them; went up-stairs
with them to the drawing-room, and then begged them to excuse him for a
few minutes. Presently Natalie Lind appeared.

How this man envied his friend Evelyn the frank, sister-like way in
which she took the little present, and thanked him, for that and his
kind wishes!

"Ah, do you know," she said, "what a strange birthday gift I had given
me this morning? See!"

She brought over the old-fashioned silver locket, and told them the
whole story.

"Is it not strange?" she said. "'_From Natalie to Natalushka_:' that is,
from myself to myself. What can it mean?"

"Have you not asked your father, then, about his mysterious messenger?"
Brand said. He was always glad to ask this girl a question, for she
looked him so straight in the face with her soft, dark eyes, as she
answered,

"He has only now come home. I will directly."

"But why does your father call you Natalushka, Natalie?" asked Lord
Evelyn.

There was the slightest blush on the pale, clear face.

"It was a nickname they gave me, I am told, when I was child. They used
to make me angry."

"And now, if one were to call you Natalushka?"

"My anger would be too terrible," she said, with a smile. "Papa alon