The liftman looked at him suspiciously.
"Wot you want to know for?" he demanded.
"Oh, I ... I'm a friend of hers," John answered lamely.
"Well, if you're a friend of 'ers, I daresay she'll tell you 'erself next time she sees you," said the liftman. "Any-'ow, I sha'n't. See?"
"But I particularly want to know," John persisted. "Look here, I'll give you half-a-crown if you'll tell me!..."
"An' I'll give you a thick ear if you don't 'op it out of this quick," the liftman retorted angrily. "I know you. Nosey Parker, that's wot you are! Comin' 'round 'ere, annoyin' girls! I know you! I seen fellers like you before, I 'ave!..."
"What do you mean?" said John.
"Mean! 'Ere's wot I mean. You're either a broker's man!..."
"No, I'm not," John interrupted.
"Or you're up to no good, see! An' wotever you are, you can just 'op it, see! You'll get no information out of me, Mr. Nosey Parker, see! An' if I ketch you 'angin' about 'ere, annoyin' 'er or anybody else I'll 'it you on the jawr, see, an' then I'll 'and you over to the police. An' that'll learn you!"