I Forbid the Banns! — page 393: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ON THE ADVANTAGES OF A CLEW. 383 comparing his answers with some notes which he seemed to have made in the usual greasy pocketbook. Then he reclasped the book and put it into his pocket, saying quietly : ‘We've spotted her.”’ “ If you mean to say that you have discovered the where- | abouts of the lady for whom your masters have been paid to search,” said Julian, ‘you might perhaps choose more suitable language for expressing yourself to that effect.” “T’ll bring you, sir, to the ’ouse where our young woman is lying purdoo, as the French says.” “ Put on your hat, my man, and come along,” said Julian. ‘“ Bring me to the house you talk of.” “Tf you'll be cautious, sir,’ said the man. ‘If you’ll give me your word asa gentleman that you'll not make a mess of my discovery all at once, I'll bring you there.”’ “Come along,” said Julian. The detective, without further attempting to make con- ditions, followed him outside. A hansom was hailed and he whispered the address to the driver. It was toa street in Pimlico that the hartsom was brought ; the driver was paid and dismissed, and the detective, leading Julian from street to street, explained at considerable length how he had been a bit too clever for the hansom driver; he had told him the wrong address. It wasn’t likely, he explained, that he was going to give himself away so easily to a han- som driver. He stopped at the end of a quiet street. ‘Number thirty-two,’ he whispered. ‘ You stand here, sir, while I reckonoiter, as the French says. She mostly sits at a window on the ground floor reading. I'll see if she is there now, and come round to you by one of the back streets. I’ma bit too smart to come straight back to you. ‘‘Would it not be easier for you to make some sign tome if she is sitting there, so that I can follow you up at once?”’ suggested Julian. C@NNIELOOKS (E©)