silent-footed electric broughams made known their advent by their clear metallic bells, and the two turned more briskly up Hamilton Place.
' And what has brought you to England so suddenly?' asked Ginger. ' I thought you intended to stop in America throughout Mrs. Emsworth's tour.'
' Circumstances altered my plan,' said Bilton. ' I had several pieces of business here; for instance, Lewis S. Palmer wished me to conduct the negotiations of Molesworth, as his agent seemed to be a sort of fool-man, and tell him what must be done to make it liveable in.'
' It is going to be lived in?' said Ginger, quite unable to stifle the curiosity he felt.
' Oh, certainly it is going to be lived in. Then I wanted to secure—I have secured—the lease of the Coronation Theatre for next summer.'
' I thought Mrs. Emsworth had taken it,' said Ginger.
' No; she meant to, but she did not complete her contract before leaving for America. In fact, she let an excellent chance slip.'
' You have cut her out?'
' Certainly. Then there was another thing. Now, do you know, Lord Henry, whether Mrs. Massington has arrived in London yet? She sailed the day before I did, but we made a very fast voyage. She was in the Oceanic.'
' She arrives this evening,' said Ginger.
' And goes to her sister's, to Miss Farady's?' asked Bilton.
' Yes. Here we are. Won't you come in with me? I will see if my father is at home.'
Gallio was in, and very much at Bilton's service. Personally, he detested the man, but he liked his way of doing business, and he particularly liked the business he had come to do. Bertie's consent had been received by cable that afternoon, and a short half-hour was sufficient to draw up
