'
'Then I'll say 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.
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