off into the road. Through the dense air sound also came muffled and subaqueously; it was like a city in a dream.
At the corner of Bond Street a man, walking faster than is usual in a fog, ran into Ginger just below a gas-lamp, and apologized in a voice that struck him as familiar. The next moment he saw who it was.
' Pray don't mention it,' he said. ' I thought you were in America, Mr. Bilton.'
Bilton peered at him a moment, and recognised him also.
' Really, Lord Henry, if it was necessary for me to run into someone, I should have chosen you. At the present moment I may be in Australia for all I know. Is this London, and if so, what part?'
' Corner of Bond Street,' said Ginger. ' Which way are you going?'
' South Audley Street,' said the other; ' I'm going to see your father, in fact, about the sale of Molesworth.'
' Are you going to buy it?' asked Ginger.
' No; but I have been asked to communicate direct with him about it. The intending purchaser wants me to see about doing it up.'
' I am going that way too,' said Ginger; ' let us go together. Walking is the only way. You know, we don't know who the intending purchaser is.'
' That so?' asked Bilton. ' Well, there's no reason any longer for secrecy; it's Lewis S. Palmer.'
' Lewis Palmer?' asked Ginger.
' Yes; pity your father didn't ask an extra ten thousand.'
' He would have, if he had known who the purchaser was,' said Ginger candidly. ' Do you know if Mr. Palmer means to live there?' he asked.
' No more than he means to live on the new Liverpool and Southampton line.'
' Ah! he hasn't got that through yet,' said Ginger, with a sudden feeling of satisfaction that there had been con-
