Till he stopped abruptly, first to laugh at himself, and then to chuckle over the thought of Phoebe, and the presents he had just bought.
* * * * * Meanwhile, at the very moment, probably, that Fenwick was in Peter Robinson's shop, an omnibus coming from Euston passed through Russell Square, and a woman, volubly advised by the conductor, alighted from it at the corner of Bernard Street.

She was very tall and slender; her dress was dusty and travel-stained, and as she left the omnibus she drew down a thickly spotted veil over a weary face.

She walked quickly down Bernard Street, looking at the numbers, and stopped before the door of Fenwick's lodgings.
The door was opened by Mrs.Gibbs, the landlady.
'Is Mr.Fenwick at home ?' 'No; he's just this minute gone out.

Did you want to see him, Miss ?' The young woman hung back a moment in hesitation.

Then she advanced into the hall.
'I've got a parcel for him'-- she showed it under her arm.