And she had a certain sympathy with Bill Bush and his nefarious proceedings. As long as he succeeded in evading the police, so long would he be welcome at the "Trusty Man," but if once he were to be clapped into jail the door of his favourite "public" would be closed to him. Not that Miss Tranter was a woman who "went back," as the saying is, on her friends, but she had to think of her licence, and could not afford to run counter to those authorities who had the power to take it away from her. "I'm a-shrivellin' away for want o' suthin' to do," proceeded Bill. "My legs aint no show at all to what they once was." And he looked down at those members complacently. They were encased in brown velveteens much the worse for wear, and in shape resembled a couple of sticks with a crook at the knees. "I lost my sitiwation as gamekeeper to 'is Royal 'Ighness the Dook o' Duncy through bein' too 'onest," he went on with another wink. "'Orful pertikler, the Dook was,--nobuddy was 'llowed to be 'onest wheer '_e_ was but 'imself! Lord love ye! It don't do to be straight an' square in this world!" Helmsley listened to this bantering talk, saying nothing. He was pale, and sat very still, thus giving the impression of being too tired to notice what was going on around him. Peke took up the conversation. "Stow yer gab, Bill!" he said. "When _you_ gits straight an' square, it'll be a round 'ole ye'll 'ave to drop into, mark my wurrd! An' no Dook o' Duncy 'ull pull ye out! This 'ere old friend o' mine don't unnerstand ye wi' yer fustian an' yer galligaskins. 'E's kinder eddicated--got a bit o' larnin' as I 'aves myself." "Eddicated!" echoed Bill. "Eddication's a fine thing, aint it, if it brings an old gaffer like 'im to trampin' the road! Seems to me the more people's eddicated the less they's able to make a livin'." "That's true! that's _dorned_ true!" said the man named Dubble, bringing his great fist down on the table with a force that made the tankards jump. "My darter, she's larned to play the pianner, an' I'm _dorned_ if she kin do anythin' else! Just a gillflurt she is, an' as sassy as a magpie. That's what eddication 'as made of 'er an' be _dorned_ to 't!" "'Scuse me," and Bill Bush now addressed himself immediately to Helmsley, "_ef_ I may be so bold as to arsk you wheer ye comes from, meanin' no 'arm, an' what's yer purfession?" Helmsley looked up with a friendly smile. "I've no profession now," he answered at once. "But in my time--before I got too old--I did a good deal of office work." "Office work! In a 'ouse of business, ye means? Readin', 'ritin', 'rithmetic, an' mebbe sweepin' the floor at odd times an' runnin' errands?" "That's it!" answered Helmsley, still smiling. "An' they won't 'ave ye no more?" "I am too old," he answered quietly. Here Dubble turned slowly round and surveyed him. "How old be ye?" "Seventy."