the highways of
South London, and showed satisfaction as they approached his own
district.

The cabman was paid with careless liberality, and Lord Polperro ran up
the stairs to his flat. More strictly speaking, he ran for a few yards,
when breath failed him, and it was all he could do to stagger with loud
pantings up the rest of the ascent. Arrived in his sitting-room he sank
exhausted on to the nearest chair. Gammon saw that he pointed feebly to
the drink cupboard, and heard a gasp that sounded like "brandy."

"Better not," replied the clear-headed man. "I wouldn't if I were you."

But his lordship insisted, looking reproachfully, and the brandy was
produced. It did him good; that is to say, it brought colour to his
face, and enabled him to sit upright. No sooner was he thus recovered
than his eyes fell upon the envelope of a telegram which lay on his
writing-table.

"There it is, at last!"

He tore the paper, all but sobbing with agony of impatience.

"Good God, I can't see it! I've gone half blind all at once. Read it
for me, Gammon."

"Hope see you to-night. Important news. If not, in morning.--Greenacre."

"Where did he send it from?"

"Euston, six o'clock."

"Then he came by the Irish day-mail. Why didn't I think of that and
meet the train? What does he mean by to-night or to-morrow morning?
What does he _mean_?"

"How can I tell?" replied Gammon. "Perhaps he has called here while you
were away."

Lord Polperro rang the bell, only to find that no one had asked for
him. He was in a state of pitiable agitation, kept shuffling about the
room with coughs and gasps, demanding ceaselessly why Greenacre left
the hour of his appearance uncertain. Gammon, scarcely less excited in
his own way, shouted assurances that the fellow might turn up at any
moment. It was not yet ten o'clock. Why not sit down and wait quietly?

"I will," said the other. "I will thank you, Gammon. I will sit down
and wait. But I cannot conceive why he didn't come straight here from
Euston. I may as well tell you he has been to Ireland for me on
business of the gravest importance. I am not impatient without cause. I
trust Greenacre implicitly. He had a gentleman's education. I am
convinced he could not deceive me."

More brandy helped him to surmount this crisis, then he was silent for
a few minutes. Gammon thought he had begun to doze again, but of a
sudden he spoke distinctly and earnestly.

"I am forgetting. You remember wha