. Guv,
Joe an' the Spider went a-seekin' an' a-searchin' that wood, an' they
found a--cloo--"

"Oh?" said Ravenslee.

"A cloo as is a-goin' t' 'ang somebody yet--a cloo, Guv, as ain't t' be
ekalled for blood-guilt an' mystery. Joe," said the Old Un, sinking his
voice to a hoarse whisper, "the hour is come--perjooce the cloo!"

Hereupon Joe produced a pocketbook and took thence a highly ornate coat
button whereto a shred of cloth was attached.

"I found this, sir," said he, "close by where you was a-lyin'." So
Ravenslee took the button upon his palm, and, as he eyed it, the Spider
saw his black brows twitch suddenly together, then--he yawned.

"And you found this in the wood, Joe?" he enquired sleepily.

"I did, sir. With that to help 'em, the perlice would have the murdering
cove in no time, and more than once I've been going to hand it over to
'em. But then I thought I'd better wait a bit; if you died was time
enough, an' if you didn't I'd keep it for you--so, sir, there it is."

"You did quite right, Joe. Yes, you did very right indeed!"

For a long moment Ravenslee sat languidly twisting the button in thin
white fingers, then flicked it far out over the balustrade down among
the dense evergreens in the garden below. The Old Un gasped, Joe gaped,
and the Spider sighed audibly.

"Lorgorramighty! Oh, Guv, Guv--" quavered the old man, "you've throwed
away our cloo--our blood-cloo--th' p'lice--you've lost our evidence--"

"Old Un, of course I have! You see, I don't like clews, or blood, or
the police. You have all been clever enough, wise enough to keep this
confounded business quiet, and so will I--"

"But, oh, Guv, arter somebody tryin' t' kill ye like a dog--ain't there
goin' t' be no vengeance, no gallers-tree, no 'lectric chair nor
nothin'--"

"Nothing!" answered Ravenslee gently. "Somebody tried to kill me, but
somebody didn't kill me; here I am, getting stronger every day, so we'll
let it go at that."

"Why then--I'm done!" said the Old Un, rising.

"Guv, you're crool an' stony-'carted! 'Ere 's me, a pore old cove as
has been dreamin' an' dreamin' o' gallers-trees an' 'lectric chairs, and
'ere 's you been an' took 'em off me! Guv, I'm disapp'inted wi' ye. Oh,
ingratitood, thou art the Guv!" So saying, the Old Un clapped on his hat
and creaked indignantly away.

"Crumbs!" exclaimed Joe, "what a bloodthirsty old cove he is, with his
gallers-trees! This means jam, this does."

"Jam?" repeated Raven