and dingier;
drays passed lumbering by and street cars jarred along beside them,
but vehicles like their own were noticeably lacking. It was plain
that they attracted more attention, now, and more than one group of
children dancing in the street to the music of the hurdy-gurdy
lingered daringly to provoke the thrilling, mellow warning of their
horn. At last they stopped at a corner and Hunt dropped again to the
pavement, lingering for a short consultation with Gleggson who
pointed once or twice behind them to the small occupant of the
brougham. On this occasion he took with him a mysterious and
powerful handle, and Caroline knew that this was precisely
equivalent to running away with the horses. He hurried around an
unattractive corner, and Gleggson sat alone in front. Five, ten
minutes passed. They seemed very dull to Caroline, and she reached
for the plum-colored tube and spoke boldly through it.

"What are we waiting for, please, Gleggson? Where is Hunt?"

"'E just stepped off, Miss, for a minute, like. 'E'll be 'ere
directly. Would you wish for me to go and look 'im up, Miss?"

Gleggson spoke very cordially.

"We-ell, I don't know," Caroline said doubtfully. "If you think
he'll be right back ... I can wait...."

"Pre'aps I'd better, as you say, Miss," Gleggson continued, "for 'e
_'as_ been gone some time, and I think I could lay me 'and on 'im.
You'll not get out, of course, Miss, and I'll be back before you
know it."

He clambered down and took the same general course as Hunt had
taken, deflecting, however, to enter a little door made like a
window-blind, that failed to reach its own door-sill.

"Hunt didn't go there at all," Caroline muttered resentfully, and
deliberately opening the door of the brougham, she stepped out.

She had followed Hunt's track quite accurately till a sudden turn
confused her, and she realized that after that corner she had no
idea in which direction he had gone. She paused uncertainly; the
street was dirty, the few children in sight were playing a game
unknown to her and not playing very pleasantly, at that; the women
who looked at her seemed more curious than kindly. The atmosphere
was not sordid enough to be alarming or even interesting; it was
merely slovenly and distasteful, and Caroline had almost decided to
go back when a young girl stopped by her and eyed her inquisitively.

"Were you lookin' for any particular party?" she asked.

"I was looking for Hunt," said Caroli