ight, ought you?"

"Oh, I feel much better. Besides, we shall drive, you know--quite
comfortable. I really think we will go. Then you shall come back and
dine with me. Yes, I think we will go."

Between this decision and the actual step half an hour was wasted in
doubts, fresh resolves, moments of forgetfulness, and slow preparation.
A messenger had been dispatched for a cab, and at length almost by
force Gammon succeeded in getting his lordship down the stairs and out
into the street. They drove to Old Jewry Chambers. Throughout the
journey Lord Polperro kept up a constant babbling, which he meant for
impressive talk; much of it was inaudible to his companion, from the
noise of the cab, and the sentences that could be distinguished were
mere repetitions of what he had said before leaving home--that he felt
it absolutely necessary to see Cuthbertson, and that he could not
understand Greenacre's silence. They reached the solicitor's office at
about half-past five. Lord Polperro entered only to return with a face
of disappointment.

"He has gone. No one there but a clerk--no use."

"Couldn't you find him at his private address?" asked Gammon.

"Private address? to be sure! I'll go in again and ask for it."

Mr. Cuthbertson lived at Streatham.

"I tell you what," said Lord Polperro, whose mind seemed to be
invigorated by his activity, "we'll go to Streatham, but first of all
we must have something to eat. The fact is, I had no lunch; I begin to
feel rather faint."

He bade the cabman drive to any restaurant not far away. There the
vehicle was dismissed, and they sat down to a meal. Gammon as usual ate
heartily. Lord Polperro pretended to do the same but in reality
swallowed only a few mouthfuls, and gave his more serious attention to
the wine. Every few minutes he assured his companion in a whisper that
he would feel quite at ease when he had seen Cuthbertson.

They looked out the trains to Streatham, and left just in time to catch
one. On the journey his lordship dozed. He was growing very husky
again, and the cough shook him badly after each effort to talk, so
Gammon felt glad to see him resting. By the gaslight in the railway
carriage his face appeared to flush and go pale alternately; at moments
it looked horribly cadaverous with its half-open eyes, shrivelled lips,
and thin, sharp, high-ridged nose. On arriving the man lost all
consciousness of where he was and what he purposed; it took many
minutes before