"Still, hadn't you better try to find out what he may have in that
line?"

"Yes," said Lefevre; "perhaps I had."




Chapter II.

A Mysterious Case.


The two friends returned, as they had arranged, to the Hyacinth Club for
dinner. Courtney's coruscating brilliancy sank into almost total
darkness when they parted from Lady and Miss Lefevre, and when they sat
down to table he was preoccupied and silent, yet in no proper sense
downcast or dull. Lefevre noted, while they ate, that there was clear
speculation in his eye, that he was not vaguely dreaming, but with alert
intelligence examining some question, or facing some contingency; and it
was natural he should think that the question or contingency must
concern Nora as much as Julius. Yet he made no overture of
understanding, for he knew that Courtney seldom offered confidence or
desired sympathy; not that he was churlish or reserved, but simply that
he was usually sufficient unto himself, both for counsel and for
consolation. Lefevre was therefore surprised when he was suddenly asked
a question, which was without context in his own thought.

"Have you ever found something happen or appear," said Julius, "that