"Never mind your hunger now—you have not let him escape—oh, don't tell me that."
"Essie, I think you have taken leave of your senses to-night. Who is it that I have not let escape?"
"A tall man in a frock coat, different from the others; he has a beard, and he wears his hat well pushed forward; his hands are white. You must have noticed him; he is certain to be here. You did not let him go?"
"I know now whom you mean," said Helps. "I saw the fellow. Yes, he is still in the room."
"You did not recognize him, father?"
"No, child. That is, I seem to know something about him. Whatever are you driving at, Esther?"
"Nothing—nothing—nothing. Go, follow the man with the frock coat. Don't let him see you. Find out where he lives, then bring me word. Go. Go. You'll miss him if you don't."
She disappeared, flying upstairs again, light as a feather.
Helps found himself impelled against his will to obey her.
"Here's a pretty state of things," he muttered. "Here am I, faint for want of food, set to follow a chap nobody knows nothing about through the slums."