"Ah!" said Barnabas thoughtfully. "And so you are quite sure that
I--didn't murder Jasper Gaunt, are you. Mr. Shrig?"
"Quite--oh, Lord love you, yes!"
"And why?"
"Because," said Mr. Shrig with his guileless smile, and puffing out
a cloud of smoke and watching it vanish ceilingwards, "because I
'appen to know 'oo did."
"Oh!" said Barnabas more thoughtfully than ever. "And who do you
think it is?"
"Vell, sir," answered Mr. Shrig ponderously, "from conclusions as
I've drawed I don't feel at liberty to name no names nor yet cast no
insinivations, but--v'en the other traps (sich werry smart coves too!)
'ave been and gone an' arrested all the innercent parties in London,
v'y then I shall put my castor on my napper, and take my tickler in
my fib and go and lay my 'ooks on the guilty party."
"And when will that be?"
"Jest so soon as my leg sarves me, sir,--say a veek,--say, two."
"You're in no hurry then?"
"Lord, no, sir, I'm never in an 'urry."
"And you say you think you know who the murderer is?"
"V-y no, sir,--from conclusions as I've drawed I'm sure and sartin
'oo did the deed. But come, sir, vot do you say to a glass o' the
Vun and Only, to drink a quick despatch to the guilty party?"
But the clock striking eight, Barnabas shook his head and rose.
"Thank you, but I must be going," said he.
"V'y if you must, you must," sighed Mr. Shrig as they shook hands;
"good evening, sir, an' if anything unpleasant should 'appen to you
in the next day or two--jest tip me the vord."
"What do you mean by unpleasant, Mr. Shrig?"
"Vell, took up p'r'aps, or shall ve say--arrested,--by some o' the
other traps--sich werry smart coves, too!"
"Do you think it likely, Mr. Shrig?"
"Vell, sir," said Mr. Shrig, with his placid smile, "there's some
traps as is so uncommon smart that they've got an 'abit of arresting
innercent parties verever found, d'ye see. But if they should 'appen
to lay their 'ooks on ye, jest tip me the office, sir."
"Thank you," said Barnabas, "I shan't forget," and, with a final nod
to Mr. Shrig, turned and followed the Corporal into Gray's Inn Lane.
Now when Barnabas would have gone his way the Corporal stayed him
with a very large but very gentle hand, and thereafter stood,
rubbing his shaven chin with his shining hook and seeming very much
abashed.
"What is it, Corporal?" Barnabas inquired.
"Well, sir," said the soldier diffidently, "it's like this, sir, my
pal Jarsper and me, 'aving heard of--of your--altered circumstances,
sir, wishes it to be understood as once your pals, ever your pals,
come shine, come rain. We likewise wish it to be understood as if at
any time a--a guinea would come in 'andy-like, sir--or say two or
three, my pal Jarsper and me will be proud to oblige, proud, sir.
And lastly, sir, my pal Jarsper and me would 'ave you to know as if
at any time you want a friend to your back, there's me and there's
'im--or a roof to your 'ead, why there's ever and always the 'Gun'
open to you, sir. We wishes you to understand this and--good evening,
sir!"