whose character you cannot read."

Natalie glanced up quickly; and her father noticed that surprised look.

"Well," said he, with a smile, "what now is your opinion of Mr. Brand?"

Instantly the soft eyes were cast down again, and a faint tinge of color
appeared in her face.

"Oh, my opinion, papa?" said she, as if to gain time to choose her
words. "Well, I should call him manly, straightforward--and--and very
kind--and--and very English--"

"I understand you perfectly, Natalie," her father said, with a laugh.
"You and Lord Evelyn are quite in accord. Yes, and you are both
thoroughly mistaken. You mean, by his being so English, that he is
cold, critical, unsympathetic: is it not so? You resent his being
cautious about joining us. You think he will be but a lukewarm
associate--suspecting everything--fearful about going too far--a
half-and-half ally. My dear Natalie, that is because neither Lord
Evelyn nor you know anything at all about that man."

The faint color in the girl's cheeks had deepened; and she remained
silent, with her face downcast.

"The pliable ones," her father continued, "the people who are moved by
fine talking, who are full of amiable sentiments, and who take to work
like ours as an additional sentiment--you may initiate a thousand of
them, and not gain an atom of strength. It is a hard head that I want,
and a strong will; a man determined to have no illusions at the outset;