"Have you seen Mr. Farringford to-day?" I timidly asked one of the bar-tenders, who was disengaged.

"He has been here two or three times to-day," replied the man.

"Do you know where he is now?"

"I haven't the least idea. He hangs round Forstellar's, I think."

"Where is that?"

"It is a gambling-house," he added, giving me the street and number.

"What does Mr. Farringford do?" I asked, rather startled at being directed to a gambling-house.

"Do? Nothing," said the man, contemptuously. "He used to be a runner for a gambling-house, and followed this business as long as he could keep sober enough to do it."

"What is a runner?"