"Well, she talked to me now and then," answered the young fellow, coloring again. "Ah, I guess she did, and you talked to her; in fact, you kept company with her, or as good." "No, that I didn't." "Well, she thought you did, or hoped you would; so it all comes to the same. Then Alison arrived, and you gave Louisa up. Isn't that so?" "I never thought about Louisa one way or the other, I assure you, Sampson. Ally and I were friends from the first. I hadn't known her a fortnight before I loved her more than all the rest of the world. I have been courting her ever since. I never gave a thought to another woman." "Bless me! what an innocent young giant you are; but another woman gave you a thought, my hearty, and of course she was jealous of Miss Reed, and if she didn't want the money for reasons of her own, she was very glad to put a spoke in her wheel." "Oh, come now, it isn't right to charge a girl like that," said Hardy. "Right or wrong, I believe I've hit the nail on the head. Anyhow, that's the track for us to work. Where does this girl Clay live?" "With her father and mother in Shoreditch. He's a pawnbroker, and by no means badly off." "You seem to have gone to their house." "A few times on Sunday evenings. Louisa asked me." "Have you gone lately?" "Not to say very lately." "Well, what do you say to you and me strolling round there this evening?" "This evening!" cried Jim. "Oh, come now," he added, "I haven't the heart; that I haven't." "You have no spunk in you. I thought you wanted to clear your girl." "Oh, if you put it in that way, Sampson, of course I'll do anything; but I can't see your meaning. I do want, God knows, to clear Alison, but I don't wish to drag another girl into it." "You shan't; that will be my business. After all, I see I must take this thing up; you are not the fellow for it. The detective line, Jim, means walking on eggs without breaking 'em. You'd smash every egg in the farmyard. The detective line means guile; it means a dash of the knowing at every step. You are as innocent as a babe, and you haven't the guile of an unfledged chicken. You leave this matter with me. I begin to think I'd like to see Miss Clay. I admire that handsome, dashing sort of girl--yes, that I do. All I want you to do, Jim, is to introduce me to the young lady. If her father is a pawnbroker he must have a bit of money to give her, and a gel with a fat purse is just my style. You come along to the Clays and give me a footing in the house, and that's all I ask." Jim hesitated. "I don't like it," he said. "Don't like it," repeated Sampson, mimicking his manner. "I wouldn't give much for that vow of yours, young man. Why, you are a soft Sawny. You want to clear your own girl?" "That I do, God knows." "Then introduce me to Miss Clay." "Oh, Sampson, I hope I'm doing right." "Fiddlesticks with your right. I tell you this is my affair. Come along now, or it will be too late."