nd all because it was not only an unusually blind one, but of a
nature that involved danger to my position as detective, I entered upon
it with a zest rare even to me who love my work and all it involves with
an undivided passion.

To equip myself, then, in a fresh disguise and to join Mr. Blake shortly
after he had left his own corner, was anything but a hardship to me that
bright winter morning, though I knew from past experience, a long and
wearisome walk was before me with nothing in all probability at the
end but reiterated disappointment. But for once the fates had willed
it otherwise. Whether Mr. Blake, discouraged at the failure of his own
attempts, whatever they were, felt less heart to prosecute them than
usual I cannot say, but we had scarcely entered upon the lower end of
the Bowery, before he suddenly turned with a look of disgust, and
gazing hurriedly about him, hailed a Madison Avenue car that was rapidly
approaching. I was at that moment on the other side of the way, but I
hurried forward too, and signaled the same car. But just as I was on the
point of entering it I perceived Mr. Blake step hastily back and with
his eyes upon a girl that was hurrying past him with a basket on her
arm, regain the sidewalk with a swiftness that argued his desire to stop
her. Of course I let the car pass me, though I did not dare approach him
too closely after my late conspicuous attempt to enter it with him. But
from my stand on the opposite curb-stone I saw him draw aside the girl,
who from her garments might have been the daughter or wife of any one
of the shiftless, drinking wretches lounging about on the four corners
within my view, and after talking earnestly with her for a few moments,
saunter at her side down Broome Street, still talking. Reckless at this
sight of the consequences which might follow his detection of the part
I was playing, I hasted after them, when I was suddenly disconcerted by
observing him hurriedly separate from the girl and turn towards me with
intention as it were to regain the corner he had left. Weighing in an
instant the probable good to be obtained by following either party,
I determined to leave Mr. Blake for one day to himself, and turn my
attention to the girl he had addressed, especially as she was tall and
thin and bore herself with something like grace.

Barely bestowing a glance upon him, then, as he passed, in a vain
attempt to read the sombre expression of his inscrutable face gr