A scornful smile curled the highwayman's lips and then he puffed away violently at his cigar—apparently wrapped in deep reflection.
"Shall I tell you any more, sir?" asked Jacob, when a few minutes of profound silence had elapsed.
"Yes, my boy: go on!" cried Tom, turning towards him again.
"The very next night," resumed Jacob, "Mr. Bones and me were walking down Southampton Row, Russell Square, you know—when I observed Miss Esther de Medina in a shop——"
"Where there was a post-office?" ejaculated the highwayman, hastily.
"Just so, sir. And she was reading a letter," continued Jacob. "Then me and Old Death followed her down to another post-office—it was in Holborn—where she posted a letter which she had with her. I crept close up to her and saw the address on it just before she dropped it into the box."
"And what was that address?" demanded Rainford.
"T. R., No. 5, Brandon Street, Lock's Fields," was the answer.
"And you of course told that to Old Death?"
"Yes—and he desired me to follow the lady to see where she lived; which I did, and traced her to Great Ormond Street. Then I went back to Bunce's, and acquainted Mr. Bones with this fact also. He was very much pleased; and soon afterwards you came in. He then told you about going to Shooter's Hill to stop a tradesman and his wife; but I afterwards found out that it was only a gag to get you out of the way next night."