first object
at which he unconsciously glanced in his agitation to discover the cause
and the remedy for this crisis. The note ran thus:

_'3 o'clock.' The Narrow Gauge has won. We are utterly done; and
Snicks tells me you bought five hundred more yesterday, at ten. Is it
possible?_

'_f._'

'Is it possible?' echoed Tancred, as, entrusting Lady Bertie to her
maid, he rapidly descended the staircase of her mansion. He almost ran
to Davies Street, where he jumped into a cab, not permitting the driver
to descend to let him in.

'Where to?' asked the driver.

'The city.'

'What part?'

'Never mind; near the Bank.'

Alighting from the cab, Tancred hurried to Sequin Court and sent in his
card to Sidonia, who in a few moments received him. As he entered the
great financier's room, there came out of it the man called in Brook
Street the Baron.

'Well, how did your dinner go off?' said Sidonia, looking with some
surprise at the disturbed countenance of Tancred.

'It seems very ridiculous, very impertinent I fear you will think it,'
said Tancred, in a hesitating confused manner, 'but that person, that
person who has just left the room; I have a particular reason, I have
the greatest desire, to know who that person is.'

'That is a French capitalist,' replied Sidonia, with a slight smile,
'an eminent French capitalist, the Baron Villebecque de Chateau Neuf. He
wants me to support him in a great railroad enterprise in his country:
a new line to Strasbourg, and looks to a great traffic, I suppose, in
pasties. But this cannot much interest you. What do you want really to
know about him? I can tell you everything. I have been acquainted with
him for years. He was the intendant of Lord Monmouth, who left
him thirty thousand pounds, and he set up upon this at Paris as a
millionaire. He is in the way of becoming one, has bought lands, is a
deputy and a baron. He is rather a favourite of mine,' added Sidonia,
'and I have been able, perhaps, to assist him, for I knew him long
before Lord Monmouth did, in a very different position from that which
he now fills, though not one for which I have less respect. He was a
fine comic actor in the courtly parts, and the most celebrated manager
in Europe; always a fearful speculator, but he is an honest fellow, and
has a good heart.'

'He is a great friend of Lady Bertie and Bellair,' said Tancred, rather
hesitatingly.

'Naturally,' said Sidonia.

'She also,' said Tancred, wi