"'About Mr. Felix!' he exclaimed. "'So she ses.' "'But what is the meaning of it, Sophy?' "'I can't tell yer. All I know is I meets aunty with a face like pickled cabbage, running and blowing and 'olding 'er sides, and I arks 'er what she's in sech a 'urry about. 'It's about poor Mr. Felix,' she ses, as well as she could speak; she was that out of breath she could 'ardly git 'er words out. 'They've found out somethink, and they've sent for me to the perlice station. You go 'ome at once and wait till I come back.' 'Ow shall I get in?' I arks; aunty never gives me the door-key; ketch 'er doing that! 'Ow shall I get in?' 'There's a gent there,' ses aunty, as 'ill open the door for yer.' 'I goes and knocks, and as no gent comes and opens the door for me, I takes a walk.' "'Is that all you know, Sophy?' "'That's all. I don't keep nothink from you--not likely.' "'Can you tell me the name of the police station?' "'Oh, yes, I can tell yer that. Bow Street.' "Our reporter did not wait to exchange any further words, but hastened as fast as he could to the Bow Street Police Court. He was close to it when a constable accosted him. "'I was coming for you at the _Evening Moon_ office, sir,' said the constable. 'The Inspector sent me.' "'What does he want?' asked our reporter. "'They've fished up something from the river. He thought you would like to see it.' "'I should.' "As he entered the doors his coat was plucked by Mrs. Middlemore. "'Ah, Mrs. Middlemore,' he said, hastily, 'I will speak to you presently. Don't go away; I will be out in a minute or two.'" CHAPTER XIX. WHAT WAS FOUND IN THE RIVER. "The Inspector conducted our reporter to a small room adjoining the court, in which the previous day's charges were still being tried, and pointing to a bundle on the table, said: "'This was found in the river, near Cleopatra's Needle. It has been opened and tied up again, in order that you might see it in its original form.' "'In what way do you suppose it concerns me?' asked our reporter, with an assumption of indifference, but moving nevertheless to the table and proceeding to undo the knots in the bundle. "'The presumption is,' replied the Inspector, 'that it was the bundle which Mrs. Weston, your client, threw into the river last night.' "'Being found,' contested our reporter, 'close to the place of the adventure, the more probable conclusion is that it was deposited in the river some distance off, the direction of which might be calculated from the flow of the tide.' "'Ordinarily, yes,' said the Inspector, 'but there are surroundings not favorable to such a conclusion. In the centre of the bundle you will find a large stone, which would prevent it from dragging far. Then again, it was discovered caught in a snag, and our men say it must have fallen plumb into its position.'