t, had
given to him who, had not things gone roughly with them, was to have
been her lover. The little picture had fallen into Gager's hands, and
he now pulled it from his pocket. He himself had never visited the
house in Hertford Street till after the second robbery, and, in the
flesh, had not as yet seen Miss Crabstick; but he had studied her
face carefully, expecting, or, at any rate, hoping, that he might
some day enjoy the pleasure of personal acquaintance. That pleasure
was now about to come to him, and he prepared himself for it by
making himself intimate with the lines of the lady's face as the sun
had portrayed them. There was even yet some delay, and Mr. Gager more
than once testified uneasiness. "She ain't a-going to get away," said
the mistress of the house, "but a lady as is going to see a gentleman
can't jump into her things as a man does." Gager intimated his
acquiescence in all this, and again waited.

"The sooner she comes the less trouble for her," said Gager to the
woman; "if you'll only make her believe that." At last, when he
had been somewhat over an hour in the house, he was asked to walk
up-stairs, and then, in a little sitting-room over the bar, he had
the opportunity, so much desired, of making personal acquaintance
with Patience Crabstick.

It may be imagined that the poor waiting-woman had not been in a
happy state of mind since she had been told that a gentleman was
waiting to see her down-stairs, who had declared himself to be a
policeman immediately on entering the shop. To escape was of course
her first idea, but she was soon made to understand that this was
impracticable. In the first place there was but one staircase, at the
bottom of which was the open door of the room in which the policeman
was sitting; and then, the woman of the house was very firm in
declaring that she would connive at nothing which might cost her and
her husband their licence. "You've got to face it," said the woman.
"I suppose they can't make me get out of bed unless I pleases," said
Patience firmly. But she knew that even that resource would fail her,
and that a policeman, when aggravated, can take upon him all the
duties of a lady's maid. She had to face it,--and she did face it.
"I've just got to have a few words with you, my dear," said Gager.

"I suppose, then, we'd better be alone," said Patience; whereupon the
woman of the house discreetly left the room.

The interview was so long that the reader would