He was overtaken by a fellow Metropolitan--a grizzled, scraggy-throated, hollow-eyed man, who laid a tremulous hand upon his arm.
'Excuse me, Mr.Rolfe, have you seen Frothingham recently ?' 'Not for a month.' 'Ah! I thought perhaps--I was wondering what he thought about the Colebrook smash.

To tell you the truth, I've heard unpleasant rumours.
Do you--should you think the Colebrook affair would affect the "Britannia" in any way ?' It was not the first time that this man had confided his doubts and timidities to Harvey Rolfe; he had a small, but to him important, interest in Bennet Frothingham's wide-reaching affairs, and seemed to spend most of his time in eliciting opinion on the financier's stability.
'Wouldn't you be much more comfortable,' said Rolfe, rather bluntly, 'if you had your money in some other kind of security ?' 'Ah, but, my dear sir, twelve and a half per cent--twelve and a half! I hold preference shares of the original issue.' 'Then I'm afraid you must take your chance.' 'But,' piped the other in alarm, 'you don't mean that--' 'I mean nothing, and know nothing.

I'm the last man to consult about such things.' And Rolfe, with an abrupt 'Goodnight,' beckoned to a passing hansom.
The address he gave was Hugh Carnaby's, in Hamilton Terrace.
Twice already the horse had slipped at slimy crossings, when, near the top of Regent Street, it fell full length, and the abrupt stoppage caused a collision of wheels with another hansom which was just passing at full speed in the same direction.

Rolfe managed to alight in the ordinary way, and at once heard himself greeted by a familiar voice from the other cab.

His acquaintance showed a pallid, drawn, all but cadaverous visage, with eyes which concealed pain or weariness under their friendly smile.