sweet on
a wench--a raw boarding school miss--he ran off with her an hour or so
ago. The little fool thought she was going to be married by a Fleet
parson, but somehow she took fright and jumped out of the coach on
London Bridge. How the devil she did it beats me, though to be sure when
one of your sex makes up her mind to anything she'll do it and damme, I
believe Beelzebub helps her. Now then----"

"What's this gabble to do with me?" broke in Sally, disdainfully.

"Wait a minute. The wench had a friend in the crowd--a man who got her
away--damn him. I jumped from the coach and we had a set to. See this?"

Scowling ferociously Rofflash pointed to a lump beneath his eye which
promised to become a beautiful mouse on the morrow.

"The jackanapes got me on the hop; my foot slipped and s'life, I was
down. But for that I'd ha' spitted him like a partridge. By the time I
was on my legs the mob were after him. I joined in the hue and cry and
we ran him down to your house. Now then, where's his hiding hole? It'll
mean a matter o' twenty guineas in your pocket to give him up."

"Blood money! I don't earn my living that way. You could have spared
your breath, Rofflash. The man's not here. I'll show you how he escaped.
Come this way."

Sally led the fellow to the window overlooking the Black Ditch and told
him the story.

"Are you bamboozling me, you jade?" growled Rofflash. "It would be like
you."

"I daresay it would if it were worth my while but it isn't. Look for
yourself. Can't you see the deep foot-prints in the mud?"

The waning moon gave sufficient light to show the black slimy surface of
the ditch. An irregularly shaped hole immediately below the window
showed where Vane had alighted. Footprints distinct enough indicated the
direction taken.

"If you're not satisfied search the house."

"I'll take your word. Who's your friend? You wouldn't lift your little
finger to save a stranger."

"Who's the girl?" Sally parried in a flash. "What's she like?"

Rofflash had sharp wits. Cunning was part of his trade.

"Ho ho," he thought. "Sits the wind in that quarter? I'll steer
accordingly."

"The girl? As tempting as Venus and a good deal livelier, I'll swear.
'Faith, she's one worth fighting for. I'll do her gallant justice. If
he's as handy with his blade as he is with his fists he'll be a pretty
swordsman. He'll need all he knows, though," added Rofflash darkly,
"when I meet him."

"Yes, when!" echoed Sally