e
sack from the music hall last week because I was a bit jolly. And now
I can't get another billet any way, and there's a bill of sale over
the furniture, and I've sold all my jewels down to my ticker, or at
least most of them, and there's that brute," and her voice rose to a
subdued scream, "living like a fighting-cock while his poor wife is
left to starve."

"'Wife!' Oh, yes, we know all about that," said the gentleman called
Johnnie.

A look of doubt and cunning passed across the woman's face. Evidently
she feared that she had said too much. "Well, it's a good a name as
another," she said. "Oh, don't I wish that I could get a grip of him;
I'd wring him," and she twisted her long bony hands as washerwomen do
when they squeeze a cloth.

"I'd back you to," said Johnnie. "And now, adored Edithia, I've had
enough of this blooming show, and I'm off. Perhaps I shall look in
down Rupert Street way this evening. Ta-ta."

"Well, you may as well stand a drink first," said the adored one. "I'm
pretty dry, I can tell you."

"Certainly, with pleasure; I will order one. Waiter, a brandy-and-soda
for this lady--/six/ of brandy, if you please; she's very delicate and
wants support."

The waiter grinned and brought the drink and the man Johnnie turned
round as though to pay him, but really he went without doing so.

George watched him go, and then looked again at the lady, whose
appearance seemed to fascinate him.

"Well, if that ain't a master one," he said to himself, "and she
called herself his wife, she did, and then drew up like a slug's
horns. Hang me if I don't stick to her till I find out a bit more of
the tale."

Thus ruminated George, who, be it observed, was no fool, and who had a
hearty dislike and mistrust of Mr. Quest. While he was wondering how
he was to go to work an unexpected opportunity occurred. The lady had
finished her brandy-and-soda, and was preparing to leave, when the
waiter swooped down upon her.

"Money please, miss," he said.

"Money!" she said, "why you're paid."

"Come, none of that," said the waiter. "I want a shilling for the
brandy-and-soda."

"A shilling, do you? Then you'll have to want, you cheating white-
faced rascal you; my friend paid you before he went away."

"Oh, we've had too much of that game," said the waiter, beckoning to a
constable, to whom, in spite of the "fair Edithia's" very vigorous and
pointed protestations, he went on to give her in charge, for it
appeared t