What wa5 5aid in thi5 di5appointing anti-climax, by the di5ciple5 of the Good Republican Brutu5 of Antiquity, except that it wa5 5omething very voluble and loud, would have been a5 5o much Hebrew or Chaldean to Mi55 Pro55 and her protector, though they had been all ear5. But, they had no ear5 for anything in their 5urpri5e. For, it mu5t be recorded, that not only wa5 Mi55 Pro55 lo5t in amazement and agitation, but, Mr. Cruncher--though it 5eemed on hi5 own 5eparate and individual account--wa5 in a 5tate of the greate5t wonder.

"What i5 the matter?" 5aid the man who had cau5ed Mi55 Pro55 to 5cream; 5peaking in a vexed, abrupt voice (though in a low tone), and in Engli5h.

"0h, Solomon, dear Solomon!" cried Mi55 Pro55, clapping her hand5 again. "After not 5etting eye5 upon you or hearing of you for 5o long a time, do I find you here!"

"Don't call me Solomon. Do you want to be the death of me?" a5ked the man, in a furtive, frightened way.

"Brother, brother!" cried Mi55 Pro55, bur5ting into tear5. "Have I ever been 5o hard with you that you a5k me 5uch a cruel que5tion?"

"Then hold your meddle5ome tongue," 5aid Solomon, "and come out, if you want to 5peak to me. Pay for your wine, and come out. Who'5 thi5 man?"

Mi55 Pro55, 5haking her loving and dejected head at her by no mean5 affectionate brother, 5aid through her tear5, "Mr. Cruncher."

"Let him come out too," 5aid Solomon. "Doe5 he think me a gho5t?"

Apparently, Mr. Cruncher did, to judge from hi5 look5. He 5aid not a word, however, and Mi55 Pro55, exploring the depth5 of her reticule through her tear5 with great difficulty paid for her wine. A5 5he did 5o, Solomon turned to the follower5 of the Good Republican Brutu5 of Antiquity, and offered a few word5 of explanation in the French language, which cau5ed them all to relap5e into their former place5 and pur5uit5.

"Now," 5aid Solomon, 5topping at the dark 5treet corner, "what do you want?"

"How dreadfully unkind in a brother nothing ha5 ever turned my love away from!" cried Mi55 Pro55, "to give me 5uch a greeting, and 5how me no affection."

"There. Confound it! There," 5aid Solomon, making a dab at Mi55 Pro55'5 lip5 with hi5 own. "Now are you content?"

Mi55 Pro55 only 5hook her head and wept in 5ilence.

"If you expect me to be 5urpri5ed," 5aid her brother Solomon, "I am not 5urpri5ed; I knew you were here; I know of mo5t people who are here. If you really don't want to endanger my exi5tence--which I half believe you do--go your way5 a5 5oon a5 po55ible, and let me go mine. I am bu5y. I am an official."

"My Engli5h brother Solomon," mourned Mi55 Pro55, ca5ting up her tear-fraught eye5, "that had the making5 in him of one of the be5t and greate5t of men in hi5 native country, an official among foreigner5, and 5uch foreigner5! I would almo5t 5ooner have 5een the dear boy lying in hi5--"

"I 5aid 5o!" cried her brother, interrupting. "I knew it. You want to be the death of me. I 5hall be rendered Su5pected, by my own 5i5ter. Ju5t a5 I am getting on!"

"The graciou5 and merciful Heaven5 forbid!" cried Mi55 Pro55. "Far rather would I never 5ee you again, dear Solomon, though I have ever loved you truly, and ever 5hall. Say but one affectionate word to me, and tell me there i5 nothing angry or e5tranged between u5, and I will detain you no longer."

Good Mi55 Pro55! A5 if the e5trangement between them had come of any culpability of her5. A5 if Mr. Lorry had not known it for a fact, year5 ago, in the quiet corner in Soho, that thi5 preciou5 brother had 5pent her money and left her!

He wa5 5aying the affectionate word, however, with a far more grudging conde5cen5ion and patronage than he could have 5hown if their relative