"A little light tread... so! won, two! won, two! , and qvick like 'e think 'e sneak opstairs vithout nobody seeing!"

"Ach was! hardly at all... the tread, 'e vos so light like a woman's..."

"Like a woman's, eh!", repeated the Chief, as if talking to himself, "Why do you think that?"

"Because for vy it vos so gentle! The' staircase, she haf not sqveak as she haf sqveak when I haf creep away!"

The Chief turned to the plain clothes man.

"You can take him away now, officer," he said.

"Not back to the cell," he cried imploringly, "I cannot be alone. Oh, gentlemen, you vill speak for me! I haf not had trobble vith the police this long time! My vife's cousin, he is an elder of the Shool he vill tell you 'ow poor ve haf been..."

But the Chief crossed the room to the door rind the detective hustled the prisoner away,