The gentleman--he looked like one--cast his keen eyes round the room. There was not a vestige of furniture in it; nothing but the bare dirty walls, from which the mortar crumbled, and the bare dirty boards. "What did you mean by saying you were gone to bed, eh?" "So I was. I was asleep there," pointing to the corner, "and that's my bed. What do you want?" added Nicholls, peering at the stranger's face in the gloom of the evening, but seeing it imperfectly, for his hat was drawn low over it. "A little talk with you. That last sweepstake you put into----" The man lifted his face, and burst forth with such eagerness that the stranger could only arrest his own words and listen. "It was a swindle from beginning to end. I had scraped together the ten shillings to put in it; and I drew the right horse, and was shuffled out of the gains, and I have never had my dues; not a farthing of 'em. Since then I've been ill, and I can't get about to better myself. Are you come, sir, to make it right?" "Some"--the stranger coughed--"friends of mine were in it also," said he: "and they lost their money." "Everybody lost it; the getters-up bolted with all they had drawn into their fingers. Have they been took, do you know?" "All in good time; they have left their trail. So you have been ill, have you?" "Ill! just take a sight at me! There's a arm for a big man." He stretched out his naked arm for inspection: it appeared as if a touch would snap it. The stranger laid his hand upon its fingers, and his other hand appeared to be stealing furtively towards his own pocket. "I should say this looks like starvation, Joe." "Some'at akin to it." A pause of unsuspicion, and the handcuffs were clapped on the astonished man. He started up with an oath. "No need to make a noise, Nicholls," said the detective, with a careless air, as he lifted off his hat: "I have two men waiting outside. Do you know me?" The prisoner gave a gasp. "Why, it's Mr. Pullet!" "Yes; it's Mr. Pullet, Joe." "I swear I wasn't in the plate robbery," passionately uttered the man. "I knew of it, but I didn't join 'em, and I never had the worth of as much as a saltspoon, after it was melted down. And they call me a coward, and they leave me here to starve and die! Sir, I swear I wasn't in it." "We'll talk of the plate robbery another time," said the officer; "you have got these bracelets on, my man, for another sort of bracelet. A diamond one. Don't you remember it?" The prisoner's mouth fell. "I thought that was over and done with, all this time---- I don't know what you mean," he added, correcting himself. "No," said the officer, "it is just beginning. The bracelet is found, and has been traced to you. You were a clever fellow, Joe, and I had my doubts of you at the time, you know. I thought then you were too clever to go on long."