tones became peculiarly sharp; 'I would fain see him hanged--crucified.
Drag him along.'

'I am no constable,' said I; 'you have got your pocket-book,--I would
rather you would bid me let him go.'

'Bid you let him go!' said the other almost furiously, 'I command--stay,
what was I going to say? I was forgetting myself,' he observed more
gently; 'but he stole my pocket-book;--if you did but know what it
contained.'

'Well,' said I, 'if it contains anything valuable, be the more thankful
that you have recovered it; as for the man, I will help you to take him
where you please; but I wish you would let him go.'

The stranger hesitated, and there was an extraordinary play of emotion in
his features: he looked ferociously at the pickpocket, and, more than
once, somewhat suspiciously at myself; at last his countenance cleared,
and, with a good grace, he said, 'Well, you have done me a great service,
and you have my consent to let him go; but the rascal shall not escape
with impunity,' he exclaimed suddenly, as I let the man go, and starting
forward, before the fellow could escape, he struck him a violent blow on
the face. The man staggered, and had nearly fallen; recovering himself,
however, he said, 'I tell you what, my fellow; if I ever meet you in this
street in a dark night, and I have a knife about me, it shall be the
worse for you; as for you, young man,' said he to me; but, observing that
the other was making towards him, he left whatever he was about to say
unfinished, and, taking to his heels, was out of sight in a moment.

The stranger and myself walked in the direction of Cheapside, the way in
which he had been originally proceeding; he was silent for a few moments,
at length he said, 'You have really done me a great service, and I should
be ungrateful not to acknowledge it. I am a merchant; and a merchant's
pocket-book, as you perhaps know, contains many things of importance;
but, young man,' he exclaimed, 'I think I have seen you before; I thought
so at first, but where I cannot exactly say: where was it?' I mentioned
London Bridge and the old apple-woman. 'Oh,' said he, and smiled, and
there was something peculiar in his smile, 'I remember now. Do you
frequently sit on London Bridge?' 'Occasionally,' said I; 'that old
woman is an old friend of mine.' 'Friend?' said the stranger, 'I am glad
of it, for I shall know where to find you. At present I am going to
'Change; time, you know, is precious to a m