ant, you mustn't blame me. I'm sure I'm not
responsible for everybody's friends. Dear me, I hope not!"

The shock-headed boots had all this time been listening with the
greatest interest. He and the barmaid, it appeared, had had a quarrel
earlier in the morning, and in consequence were still far from being
upon the best of terms.

"The cove as the gent wants, miss, must be 'im as came close upon eleven
o'clock last night," he put in. "The toff with the bag and blanket. Why
I carried his bag up to number forty-seven with my own 'ands, and
you know it."

The girl was quite equal to the occasion.

"You'd better hold your tongue," she said. "If you don't you'll get into
trouble."

"What for?" he inquired. "It's a free country, I 'ope. Nice sort of toff
'e was, forgot all about the boots, and me a-doin' 'is browns as slap-up
as if 'e was a-goin' out to dinner with the Queen. But p'reaps he's left
a 'arf-sovereign for me with you. It ain't likely. Oh no, of course it
isn't likely he would. You wouldn't keep it carefully for me, would you?
Oh no, in course not? What about that two bob the American gent
give you?"

The girl did not wait to hear any more, but with a final toss of her
head, disappeared into the bar.

"Now, look here, my friend," I said to the boots, "it is quite evident
that you know more about this gentleman than that young lady does. Tell
me all about him, and I'll make it worth your while."

"There ain't much to tell," he answered. "Leastways, nothin' particular.
He was no end of a toff, great-coat with silk collar, neat browns,
gloves, and a bowler 'at."

"Moustache?"

"Yes, and waxed. Got a sort of broad-arrow on his cheek, and looked at
ye as if 'is eyes was gimlets, and he wanted to bore a hole through yer;
called at seven, breakfast at half-past, 'am and eggs and two cups of
corfee and a roll, all took up to 'im in 'is room. Ordered a cab to
catch the nine o'clock express to Southampton. I puts 'im in with his
bag and blanket, and says, 'Kindly remember the boots, sir,' and he
says, 'I've done it,' I said I 'adn't 'ad it, and he told me to go to
------, well the place as isn't mentioned in perlite company. That's all I
know about 'im."

He paused and shook his head in the direction of the bar, after which he
observed that he knew all about it, and one or two other things beside.

I gave him a shilling for his information and then left the house. Once
more I had missed Gideon Hayle by a few