"They was, Jarsper, they was--oncommon!" quoth the smaller man hoarsely. "'Enery, 'old your tongue! Now, sir, am I right or am I not?" "We were both very naturally shocked," said I. "Vich feelin's, sir, does you both credit--oceans. But 't is further in ewidence as your friend did commit a assault upon the body o' one Thomas Vokins by means of a cane an' there an' then took, removed, appre'ended or ab-stracted ewidence in the shape o' a piece o' paper as 'ad fell from right 'and o' said corpse. Am I right once more?" "Not altogether!" said I. "The man wrenched open the dead girl's fingers so brutally that my--companion very properly rapped him with his cane and noticing the piece of paper, ordered the man to give it to him." "Good--werry good! Now I puts it to you, sir--vere is that piece o' paper?" "Probably in my companion's possession." "Good again! An' vere might 'e be?" "That I decline to tell you!" "Vy then, sir, dooty bein' dooty, I'll take a valk." "As you will!" said I. "Come, Anthony!" and turning, we began to retrace our steps. But we had gone but a little way when I faced suddenly about, for the man was plodding at our heels. "Why the devil do you follow us?" I demanded, greatly exasperated. "Becos' dooty is dooty, sir, an' dooty demands same," he answered imperturbably. "Who are you, fellow?" "Jarsper Shrig, Bow Street officer--werry much at your service, sir!" "And what do you want of me?" "A piece o' paper, sir, as ewidence to establish i-dentifi-cation of de-funct young party o' the fe-male persuasion in a case o' murder or feller-de-see--" Here I turned and walked on again in no little perplexity. "What am I to do, Anthony?" I muttered. "Bring the fellow to your chambers, despatch a note to Sir Jervas and leave it to his decision." So we walked on, perfectly ignoring this very pertinacious Bow Street officer; but I, for one, was not sorry when at last we reached the door of my chambers, and halting, turned to behold the Bow Street officer, who had stopped also and appeared to be lost in contemplation of the adjacent chimney pots. And as he stood thus, I was struck by his air of irreproachable respectability and pervading mildness; despite the formidable knotted stick beneath his arm, he seemed indeed to radiate benevolence from the soles of his stout boots to the crown of his respectable, broad-brimmed hat. "A re-markable vide-avake young man, yours, sir," said he gently, still apparently lost in contemplation of the chimney pots, "a re-markable vatchful young man an' werry attentive!" "What do you mean, officer?" "I mean, sir, as he's opened your door afore you knocked." Glancing at the door, I saw indeed, to my surprise, that it stood slightly ajar; hereupon I reached out to open it when it swung wide and my man Clegg stood before us. "I saw you approaching, sir," he exclaimed, bowing us in.