"Here, wait. Come here; I know some one who might be able to do it for you."
I didn't go back. "It isn't of the least consequence," I said with an airy wave of the hand. "I told the man he'd better go to the police and just tell them how he lost his card."
"Come in here a minute;" and he shuffled off to a door at the back of the shop.
I hesitated, took a couple of paces toward him, stopped and shook my head. "No. I don't want to have anything to do with it, if there's any risk attached to it, as you say."
This worked all right. "When I said that, I thought you wanted it for yourself," he said slily.
I burst out laughing and turned again as if to go away. "Good-day, my friend. That's rich and no mistake."
"Here, don't be in such a hurry," he said, coming a step toward me. "If your friend's in any trouble, I might——"
"What the devil do you mean by that?" I cried, and cursed him royally for the suggestion.
He came up and laid his filthy claw on my sleeve. I shook it off with another choice epithet or two. "Come into my room a minute and we'll talk it over. Don't lose your temper."
I allowed myself to be pacified: not too quickly, of course; and with a great show of reluctance allowed him to take me into his room, which was, if possible, filthier even than the shop and smelt vilely.