The Bowbells tribune., 1900-01-26

anything. There was lonSish pass
age leading towards the. back and end
ed in the Kitchen stairs. There, at
| last, l made out the sound OF voices
coming from below. :.
If you'll believe mo. that was the
first time l began to feel scared. Id
heard and seen enough of Jim B!ogg to
!; know that he warn'r exactly the safest
man in the world to run foul of. ana
that. if he caught me a-spin' on him.
he'd make it 'ot for me. HOWS0mevcr,
plucked up heart and crept like cat
down stairs. There was no light eX-
cept what came from the kitchen. cw-
/ in to the door being a few inches aiar,
j but l managed to get within earSllot
without making no noise. Two men
was arguing. and ! spotted one Cf 'em
as Jim by his voice. The other'I dirn't
recognize
"'Tain't worth while arguin' all
| night about a thing wot'S got to be
dcne.' Jim was saying. L was prom
ised thoUsand--I earned the money,
and jolly well mean to have it.
That's right enough said the 9TH
cr. You've had Il hundred and fifty,
and you shall have the rest within a
week. Can't you understand that the
drafts became useless when the name
of-the man-was discovered? The act
ual hard cash did not. as YOU know.
amount to much-in fact. you got most
CT it. And it takes time to raise
fS5O.'
"'That's none of my business SEE
Jim. sulkyliEe. wants my 'oof and
wants to get away. and don't want
to be choked off with excuses and ex-
plantations. See here, mate. You pear
tC take your masters place all through
in this business. and I believe you
mean square enough. If l agree to
wait till this day week. will you ull-
! dertalle to see me paid off, without any
more nonsense? Your boss can do it
right enough if you keep him up to it,
"'To be sure he cam said the other
man, 'and he'll do it, too. The money
will be paid in this very room, at 3
O'clock this day week.
That's a wager growled Jim.
'And now let's have drink
"Wcll. they sat there boozing and
talking about all sorts of things that
didn't bother my head with, until the
clock struck seven, when Jim made up
his mind to clear. and the other one re-
membered he had a cove to see in the
West End. This was a straight enough
tip for me. and slipped up stairs to
the landing as quick as l could.
drew OH my boots, knotted the laces
anyhow, and waited, astride the Will
dow sill. until heard the door slam.
Then 1 pulled down the window, put
the ladder back where 1 found it. and
bunked after the pair of 'em. They
walked together as fur as the Sheet
Anchor. where Jim went in. but the
other one wouldn't. got fair look
at him, under lamp. and at once spot
ted him as the stranger that gave me
the letter and the shilling. What was
to do? Follow him, or stick to Jim
Blogg? 1 hadn't much time to make
up my Mind but stuck to the strang-
er for two reasons"
"What were they, Billy" asked Mr..
Gray, encouragingly.
"Well, 1 felt pretty sure that Jim
was on for nothing more than a good
old drunk, for one thing" was the re-
ply. cmbellished by a vulpine grin;
land, besides, you'd give me money for
cabs, if necessary. So 1 felt l could
crack on as much steam as he could"
"And did lie take cab?"
"Why, in course he did; but didn't
find it quite so easy to get one to take
me, and I had to part two shillings
afore the cabby would make a start.
However, he turned out real clipper
when he did get under way"
'WOtever 'appens, don't lose sight
of that cab in 'front.' with the grey
horse!" bawled at i'm, forking out the
two bob.
"sAll right says he. 'Wot's UP?
"sDon't know answers back, 'cept
that the gent in that cab has been
playiEg some game on my sister, and
means to find out where he's going
to. I've more 'oof on me, so don't you
p. worry
"sOh. that's his game, is it" says he.
I'll not lose him, young'un, never fear"
.Lor! what drive that was! Pret-
ty. too, when we came to where the
streets ard swell places was all lit up
with 'lectrict lamps. At last we passed
out of blaze of light, where several
streets met, into a wide road with a
park on one side, and presently the cab
in front turned into gateway. My
cabby pulled up
".See here, young'un. says he. the
bloke you're after has gone into
swell club. where you can't follow
him.
".Can't ~ 1 replies. We'll I can
wait outside for him. anyhow. What
do owe you?
"Call it another bob. says he You'd
best take Liverpool Street bus to get
back by. and then ask a "copper"
81 paid him the bob, and watched
him drive off. and then crossed to the
opposite side of the road, where there
were trees. in order to keep good eye
upon the two gateways that led to the
club
Ibid you ask the name of the club,
Billy?" I inquired. I had little doubt.
from his description. but wished to be
:'Yes; it was club for young ofti.
GERS, was the reply, ''and the street
was Picadilly waited for the strang-
er to come out until was that cold
and hungry l could stand it no longer.
For aught I know, he might stop there
all night. and 1 couldn't ask for him,
,cos I didn't know his name. So. long