,--a teetotal beverage; the kind of thing that would have sold
itself, this weather. A friend of mine hit on it, a clerk in a City
warehouse, one of the cleverest chaps I ever knew. It really was _the_
drink; I've never tasted anything like it. Why, there's the biggest
fortune on record waiting for the man who can supply _the_ drink for
total-abstainers. And this friend of mine had it. He gave me some to
taste one night, about a month ago, and I roared with delight. It was
all arranged. I undertook to find enough capital to start with, and
to manage the concern. I would have given up my work with Bullock and
Freeman. I'd have gone in, tooth and nail, for that drink! I sat up all
one night trying to find a name for it; but couldn't hit on the right
one. A name is just as important as the stuff itself that you want to
sell. Next morning--it was Sunday--I went round to my friend's lodgings,
and'--he slapped his thigh--'I'm blest if the chap hadn't cut his
throat!'

'Why?'

'Betting and forgery. He would have been arrested next day. But the
worst of it was that his beverage perished with him. I hadn't a notion
how it was made; he wouldn't tell me till I planked down money to start
with; and not a drop of it could be found anywhere. And to think that he
had absolutely struck oil, as they say; had nothing to do but sit down
and count the money as it came in! That's the third man I've known
go wrong in less than a year. Betting and embezzlement; betting and
burglary; betting and forgery. I'll tell you some time about the chap
who went in for burglary. One of the best fellows I ever knew; when he
comes out, I must give him a hand. But ten to one he'll burgle again;
they always do; burglary grows on a man, like drink.'

His laughter rang across the street; Barmby, who kept looking back,
surprised and indignant that this acquaintance of Miss. Lord's was
not presented to him, paused for a moment, but Nancy waved to him
commandingly, 'Straight on!'

They reached Charing Cross. Horace, who took no part in the
conversation, and had dropped behind, at this point found an opportunity
of stealing away. It was Crewe who first remarked his absence.

'Hollo! where's your brother?'

'Gone, evidently.--Hush! Don't say anything. Will you do something for
me, Mr. Crewe?'

'Of course I will. What is it?'

Nancy pursued in a low voice.

'He's gone to meet Fanny French. At least, he told me so; but I want to
know whether it is really