good-night. Thank you for coming so far out of your way.«
    »I'll wait. I may as well walk back with you, if you don't mind.«
    »Oh, very well. I shan't be many minutes.«
    She passed on and entered the place of refreshment that was kept by Mrs.
Tubbs. Till recently it had been an ordinary eating-house or coffee-shop; but
having succeeded in obtain a license to sell strong liquors, Mrs. Tubbs had
converted the establishment into one of a more pretentious kind. She called it
Imperial Restaurant and Luncheon Bar. The front shone with vermilion paint; the
interior was aflare with many gas-jets; in the window was disposed a tempting
exhibition of snacks of fish, cold roast fowls, ham-sandwiches, and the like;
whilst farther back stood a cooking-stove, whereon frizzled and vapoured a
savoury mess of sausages and onions.
    Sidney turned away a few paces. The inclemency of the night made Upper
Street - the promenade of a great district on account of its spacious pavement -
less frequented than usual; but there were still numbers of people about, some
hastening homewards, some sauntering hither and thither in the familiar way,
some gathered into gossiping groups. Kirkwood was irritated by the conversation
and laughter that fell on his ears, irritated by the distant strains of the
band, irritated above all by the fume of frying that pervaded the air for many
yards about Mrs. Tubbs's precincts. He observed that the customers tending that
way were numerous. They consisted mainly of lads and young men who had come
forth from neighbouring places of entertainment. The locality and its
characteristics had been familiar to him from youth upwards; but his nature was
not subdued to what it worked in, and the present fit of disgust was only an
accentuation of a mood by which he was often possessed. To the Hewetts he had
spoken impartially of Mrs. Tubbs and her bar; probably that was the right view;
but now there came back upon him the repugnance with which he had regarded
Clara's proposal when it was first made.
    It seemed to him that he had waited nearly half an hour when Clara came
forth again. In silence she walked on beside him. Again they crossed by the
Angel and entered St. John Street Road.
    »You've made your arrangements?« Sidney said, now that there were few people
passing.
    »Yes; I shall go on Monday.«
    »You're going to live there altogether?«
    »Yes; it