unusual esteem
and respect of which "the street" is capable, and in a moment the heels
of his boots were seen disappearing into the dense crowd. Claudius and
Barker walked on, and crossed Broadway; a few steps farther, and the
Doctor was brought face to face with the triumph of business over
privacy--the elevated railway. He had caught a glimpse of portions of it
in the morning, but had supposed the beams and trestles to be
scaffoldings for buildings. He stood a few moments in profound thought,
contemplating and comprehending this triumph of wheels.

"It is a great invention," he said quietly. And when they were seated in
the long airy car, he looked out of the window, and asked whether the
people in the first stories of the houses did not find it very
disagreeable to have trains running by their windows all day.

"The social and municipal economy of New York," explained Mr. Barker,
"consists in one-third of the population everlastingly protesting
against the outrageous things done by the other two-thirds. One-third
fights another third, and the neutral third takes the fees of both
parties. All that remains is handed over to the deserving poor."

"That is the reason, I suppose, why there are so few poor in New York,"
observed the Doctor with a smile.

"Exactly," said Barker; "they go West."

"I would like to discuss the political economy of this country with you,
when I have been here six months."

"I hope you will not. And when you have been here six months you will be
willing to pay a large sum rather than discuss it with any one."

And so they went up town, and Claudius watched everything with interest,
and occasionally made a remark. Barker was obliged to go on, and he put
Claudius out on the platform at the station nearest his hotel, and which
was in fact at the same cross-street. As Claudius ascended the steps he
was overtaken by the Duke, who was breathless with running.

"I--am afraid--it is too late," he panted; "come along," and he seized
Claudius by the arm and dragged him to the corner of Fifth Avenue,
before he could ask any questions.

"What is the matter?" asked the Doctor, looking about.

"He is gone," said the Duke, who had recovered his speech, "I knew he
would, but I thought there was time. I was with a friend of mine, and I
had just left him when I saw you, and as I have asked him to dinner I
wanted to introduce you first. But he is always in such a hurry. Nowhere
to be seen. Probably down