n in Holborn. Linden was
ushered into a close coffee-room and presented with a bill of fare.
While he was deliberating between the respective merits of mutton chops
and beefsteaks, a man with a brown coat, brown breeches, and a brown
wig, walked into the room; he cast a curious glance at Clarence and then
turned to the waiter.

"A pair of slippers!"

"Yes, sir," and the waiter disappeared.

"I suppose," said the brown gentleman to Clarence, "I suppose, sir, you
are the gentleman just come to town?"

"You are right, sir," said Clarence.

"Very well, very well indeed," resumed the stranger, musingly. "I took
the liberty of looking at your boxes in the passage; I knew a lady, sir,
a relation of yours, I think."

"Sir!" exclaimed Linden, colouring violently.

"At least I suppose, for her name was just the same as yours, only, at
least, one letter difference between them: yours is Linden I see, sir;
hers was Minden. Am I right in my conjecture that you are related to
her?"

"Sir," answered Clarence, gravely, "notwithstanding the similarity of
our names, we are not related."

"Very extraordinary," replied the stranger.

"Very," repeated Linden.

"I had the honour, sir," said the brown gentleman, "to make Mrs. Minden
many presents of value, and I should have been very happy to have
obliged you in the same manner, had you been in any way connected with
that worthy gentlewoman."

"You are very kind," said Linden, "you are very kind; and since such
were your intentions, I believe I must have been connected with
Mrs. Minden. At all events, as you justly observe, there is only the
difference of a letter between our names, a discrepancy too slight, I am
sure, to alter your benevolent intentions."

Here the waiter returned with the slippers.

The stranger slowly unbuttoned his gaiters. "Sir," said he to Linden,
"we will renew our conversation presently."

No sooner had the generous friend of Mrs. Minden deposited his feet in
their easy tenements than he quitted the room. "Pray," said Linden
to the waiter, when he had ordered his simple repast, "who is that
gentleman in brown?"

"Mr. Brown," replied the waiter.

"And who or what is Mr. Brown?" asked our hero.

Before the waiter could reply, Mr. Brown returned, with a large bandbox,
carefully enveloped in a blue handkerchief. "You come from ----, sir?"
said Mr. Brown, quietly seating himself at the same table as Linden.

"No, sir, I do not."

"From ----, the