" Also the answer: "That's what my mother
always told me, master, and she ought to know if anyone did. But
what's wrong now? I obeyed orders and bought 'O. Paving.'"
"Yes. Don't bother, my good fellow, it's my fault, not yours. I'm the
born fool. But heavens above! how am I to face this?" Then, recovering
himself, he strolled up to the rostrum and said a few words to the
auctioneer. Mr. Primrose nodded, and I heard him answer:
"Oh, that will be all right, sir, don't bother. We can't expect an
account like this to be settled in a minute. A month hence will do."
Then he went on with the sale.
CHAPTER III
SIR ALEXANDER AND STEPHEN
It was just at this moment that I saw standing by me a fine-looking,
stout man with a square, grey beard and a handsome, but not very good-
tempered face. He was looking about him as one does who finds himself
in a place to which he is not accustomed.
"Perhaps you could tell me, sir," he said to me, "whether a gentleman
called Mr.
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