Dine with me at eight to-morrow at the Grand Hotel'; and he added after a moment's pause, 'Bring Conway, if you have not lost sight of him .-- DRAKE.' When the train started Drake settled himself to the study of _A Man of Influence_.

The commentary of the salesman had prepared him for some measure of perplexity.

There would be hinted references and suggestions, difficult of comprehension to the traveller out of touch with modern developments.

These, however, would only be the ornaments, but the flesh and blood of the story would be perceptible enough.

It was just, however, this very flesh and blood which eluded him; he could not fix it in a definite form.