own to the 'Unusual' to-morrow
morning," he said. "Bring any new songs you may have."

Anna nodded, and Mr. Earles attended her obsequiously to the door. She
descended the stairs, and found herself at last in the street--alone.
It was a brief solitude, however. A young man, who had been spending
the last hour walking up and down on the opposite side of the way,
came quickly over to her. She looked up, and recognized Mr. Brendon.

_Chapter XIII_

"HE WILL NOT FORGET!"

The external changes in Brendon following on his alteration of fortune
were sufficiently noticeable. From head to foot he was attired in the
fashionable garb of the young man of the moment. Not only that, but he
carried himself erect--the slight slouch which had bent his shoulders
had altogether disappeared. He came to her at once, and turning,
walked by her side.

"Now I should like to know," she said, looking at him with a quiet
smile, "what you are doing here? It is not a particularly inspiring
neighbourhood for walking about by yourself."

"I plead guilty, Miss Pellissier," he answered at once. "I saw you go
into that place, and I have been waiting for you ever since."

"I am not sure whether I feel inclined to scold or thank you," she
declared. "I think as I feel in a good humour it must be the latter."

He faced her doggedly.

"Miss Pellissier," he said, "I am going to take a liberty."

"You alarm me," she murmured, smiling.

"Don't think that I have been playing the spy upon you," he continued.
"Neither Sydney nor I would think of such a thing. But we can't help
noticing. You have been going out every morning, and coming home
late--tired out--too tired to come down to dinner. Forgive me, but you
have been looking, have you not, for some employment?"

"Quite true!" she answered. "I have found out at last what a useless
person I am--from a utilitarian point of view. It has been very
humiliating."

"And that, I suppose," he said, waving his stick towards Mr. Earles'
office, "was your last resource."

"It certainly was," she admitted. "I changed my last shilling
yesterday."

He was silent for a moment or two. His lips were tight drawn. His eyes
flashed as he turned towards her.

"Do you think that it is kind of you, Miss Pellissier," he said,
almost roughly, "to ignore your friends so? In your heart you know
quite well that you could pay Sydney or me no greater compliment than
to give us just a little of your confidence. We