"In course you ain't, mister!" agreed Melky. "I twigged your game straight off--you only came there to the police-station to put yourself in funds for your journey! But that's all right!--you come along of me, and let me put you in safety--then you give me that cheque--I'll get it cashed in ten minutes without going to any banks--see? Friend o' mine hereabouts--he'll cash it at his bank close by--anybody'll cash a cheque o' Levendale's. Come on, now, mister. We're close to that little port o' refuge I'm telling you about." The bluff was going down--Melky felt, as much as saw, that Yada was swallowing it in buckets. And he slipped his hand within his companion's arm, piloted him along the street, across Praed Street, round the back of the houses into the narrow passage which communicated with the rear of the late Daniel Multenius's premises, and in at the little door which opened on the parlour wherein so many events had recently taken place. "Where are you taking me?" asked Yada, suspiciously, as they crossed the threshold. "All serene, mister!" answered Melky, reassuringly. "Friend o' mine here--my cousin. All right--and all secure. You're as safe here as you will be in your grave, mister--s'elp me, you are! Zillah!" Zillah walked into the parlour and justified Melky's supreme confidence in her by showing no surprise or embarrassment. She gave Yada the merest glance, and turned to Melky. "Bit o' business with this young gentleman, Zillah," said Melky. "That little room, upstairs, now--what?" "Oh, all right!" said Zillah, indifferently. "You know your way--you'll be quiet enough there." Melky signed to Yada to follow him, and led the way up the stairs to the very top of the house. He conducted the Japanese into the small room in which were some ancient moth-and-worm-eaten bits of furniture, an old chest or two, and a plenitude of dust--and carefully closed the door when he and his captive had got inside. "Now, mister!" he said, "you're as safe here as you could be in any spot in the wide world. Let's get to business--and let's understand each other. You want that cheque turned into cash--you want to get out of London tonight? All right--then hand over your cheque and keep quiet till I come back. Is there anything else now--any bit of luggage you want?" "You do all this if I pay you one hundred pounds?" asked Yada. "That'll do me, mister," answered Melky. "I'm a poor fellow, d'ye see?--I don't pick up a hundred quid every day, I assure you! So if there is anything--" "A suit-case--at the luggage office at Oxford Circus Tube," said Yada. "I must have it--papers, you understand. If you will get me that--" "Give me the ticket--and that cheque," said Melky. He slipped the two bits of paper into his pocket, and made for the door. "I'll turn the key outside," he said. "You'll be safer. Make yourself comfortable, mister--I'll be back in an hour with the money and the goods."