"Then she allows you to make her presents?" Brand said, somewhat coldly.

"She and I are like brother and sister now," said the pale, deformed
lad, without hesitation. "If I were ill, I think she would be glad to
come and look after me."

"You have already plenty of sisters who would do that.'"

"By-the-way, they are coming to town next week with my mother. You must
come and dine with us some night, if you are not afraid to face the
chatter of such a lot of girls."

"Have they seen Miss Lind?"

"No, not yet."

"And how will you explain your latest craze to them, Evelyn? They are
very nice girls indeed, you know; but--but--when they set full cry on
you--I suppose some day I shall have to send them a copy of a newspaper
from abroad, with this kind of thing in it: '_Compeared yesterday before
the Correctional Tribunal, Earnest Francis D'Agincourt, Baron Evelyn,
charged with having in his possession two canisters of an explosive
compound and fourteen empty missiles. Further, among the correspondence
of the accused was found--_'"

"'_A letter from an Englishman named Brand_,'" continued Lord Evelyn, as
he rose and went to the window, "'_apparently written under the
influence of nightmare._' Come, Brand, I see the carriage is below. Will
you drive with me to the jeweller's?"