tender _Lorelei_. He felt
the very touch of her fingers on his arm when she turned to him with
reproving eyes: "_Is that the way you answer an appeal for help?_" That
poor devil of a Kirski--what had become of him? He would find out from
Reitzei; and, before leaving England, would take care that something
should be done for the luckless outcast. He should have cause to
remember all his life-long that Natalie Lind had interfered in his
behalf.

Without knowing well how he got there, Brand found himself in Curzon
Street. He walked on, perhaps with some vague notion that he might meet
Natalie herself, until he arrived at the house. It was quite dark; there
was no light in any of the windows; Anneli had not even lit the gas-jet
in the narrow hall. He turned away from the door that he felt was now
barred against him forever, and walked back to Clarges Street.

Lord Evelyn was out; the man did not know when he would be home again.
So Brand turned away from that door also, and resumed his aimless
wanderings, busy with those pictures of the past. At length he got down
to Buckingham Street, and almost mechanically made his way toward his
own rooms.

He had reached his door, however, when he heard some one speaking
within.

"I might have known," he said to himself. "That is so like Evelyn."

It was indeed Lord Evelyn, who was chatting familiarly with old Waters.
But the moment Brand entered he ceased, and a look of anxiety, and even
alarm, appeared instantly on the fine, sensitive, expressive face.

"What is the matter, Brand? Are you ill?"

"No," said the other, dropping into a chair; "only tired--and worried,
perhaps. Waters, get me a biscuit and a glass of sherry. Now, when I
think of it, I ought to feel tired--I have eaten nothing since eight
o'clock this morning."

Lord Evelyn jumped to his feet.

"Come off at once, Brand. We will go up to the Strand and get you
something to eat. Gracious goodness, it is nearly ten o'clock!"

"No, no, never mind. I have something to talk to you about, Evelyn."

"But why on earth had Waters no dinner waiting for you?"

"I did not tell him--I forgot. Never mind; I will have some supper
by-and-by. I called on you, Evelyn, about half an hour ago; I might have
known you would be here."

Lord Evelyn paused for a second or two, while Waters came in and went
out again. Then he said,

"I can tell by your face, Brand, that something has happened."

"Nothing that I had not foreseen."