‘I don’t want to do anything unpleasant, my good woman,’ answered the detective; ‘so perhaps you’ll stand aside and let me search the house.’
‘Search away, and welcome!’ replied Mrs. Jarvis, moving aside; ‘and if you finds a conwick, let’s have a look at him. I never see one afore.’
The detective went up the stairs two at a time, and commenced to search. A policeman stood at the front door to see no one passed out.
The detective was not very long before he found what he was in search of. He went straight to the top room, which he had ascertained was occupied by the convict’s wife.
He entered cautiously, and looked about him. It was empty.
But he was not content with a superficial glance.
He peered into every corner, and then, stooping down, looked under the bed.
‘I guessed as much,’ he muttered. Then, drawing a revolver from his pocket, he exclaimed, in a loud voice:
‘Now, then, out you come, or I shall shoot.’
Slowly a man crept out, trembling and holding his face aside. He was wrapped in a long coat, buttoned to the chin.