"`What for, young man?' he says, werry bounceable. "`Never you mind what for,' I says; but you do as you're told; and seeing me look as though I meant it, he starts off like a shot, and we two stood there till the doctor came, and then we goes in, followed by ever so many women, all looking white, and talking in whispers. "Lord, sir, it was a sight! There was the room well-furnished, and on the bed lay as pretty a girl as ever you see, search through all London; her face, and neck looking as white as so much marble, while all her long black hair lay loose and scattered over the pillow. Her hands were under her head, and she looked for all the world as though she was asleep; while by the flickering candles I almost thought I could see her smile. And there, with one arm across her, his head close to her side, his face buried in the clothes, half-lying on the bed, with his feet on the ground by the bedside, was him as I took to be my customer as I wanted; and both him and the girl dead and stiff. "The doctor examined 'em, and only said what every one could see plain enough, but he says as well that they'd been gone hours; and that we didn't know. "Then he gives a sniff or two, and says as there's a strong smell of acid about. `Is there any cup or bottle anywhere?' he says. "I gives a sorter jump, and felt my skin creep, for I recollects the bottle and glasses in the next room, and a cold shiver goes all down my back. "How-so-be, I goes round and opens the folding doors, and shows the doctor the sherry decanter, which had about three glasses at the bottom. "`Ah!' says he, taking the glassful as I poured out, holding it up to the light, and then sniffing it. `Ah,' says he, `there's more than enough for one in that glassful; and that seems to be the same,' he says, smelling at the decanter. `Pour it in, pleeceman, and tie the stopper down, and seal it.' "I takes up the glass and tries to pour it back, but if my hand didn't shake to that degree that the glass chattered against the neck of the decanter, and I spilt half the stuff on the cloth, I was so scared at the escape I'd had. "Well, sir, you see some one as won't take no refusal had been beforehand with his warrant, and took both the forger and his lady, and I know I thought it a most awful affair, for I was rather new to such things then. But whether he poisoned her, or whether they'd agreed to it aforehand, nobody knew, not even the Coroner; but all I know is that never before, nor since, have I met with anything as upset me so much as finding them two poor things lying there in the dark--dead, and stiff, and stark; it upset me wonderful--at least, that and the sherry together." CHAPTER TWELVE. A VULGAR TONGUE.