pavement and up the stairs,
hanging on to each other, him peering through his blinkers and she
trying to see through her veil, and I thought it was a jolly good job
they'd got a nice sound cab and a steady driver to bring 'em safe home."

"How was the lady dressed?"

"Can't rightly say, not being a hexpert. Her head was done up in this
here veil like a pudden in a cloth and she had a small hat on. She had a
dark brown mantle with a fringe of beads round it and a black dress; and
I noticed when she got into the cab at the station that one of her
stockings looked like the bellows of a concertina. That's all I can tell
you."

Thorndyke wrote down the last answer, and, having read the entire
statement aloud, handed the pen to our visitor.

"If that is all correct," he said, "I will ask you to sign your name at
the bottom."

"Do you want me to swear a affidavy that it's all true?" asked Wilkins.

"No, thank you," replied Thorndyke. "We may have to call you to give
evidence in court, and then you'll be sworn; and you'll also be paid for
your attendance. For the present I want you to keep your own counsel and
say nothing to anybody about having been here. We have to make some
other inquiries and we don't want the affair talked about."

"I see, sir," said Wilkins, as he laboriously traced his signature at
the foot of the statement; "you don't want the other parties for to ogle
your lay. All right, sir; you can depend on me. I'm fly, I am."

"Thank you, Wilkins," said Thorndyke. "And now what are we to give you
for your trouble in coming here?"

"I'll leave the fare to you, sir. You know what the information's worth;
but I should think 'arf a thick-un wouldn't hurt you."

Thorndyke laid on the table a couple of sovereigns, at the sight of
which the cabman's eyes glistened.

"We have your address, Wilkins," said he. "If we want you as a witness
we shall let you know, and if not, there will be another two pounds for
you at the end of a fortnight, provided you have not let this little
interview leak out."

Wilkins gathered up the spoils gleefully. "You can trust me, sir," said
he, "for to keep my mouth shut. I knows which side my bread's buttered.
Good night, gentlemen all."

With this comprehensive salute he moved towards the door and let
himself out.

"Well, Jervis; what do you think of it?" Thorndyke asked, as the
cabman's footsteps faded away in a creaky diminuendo.

"I don't know what to think. This woman is