“Don’t you dare to lay a finger on that young woman,” he cried, “or I’ll fell you to the ground.”
We should have laughed at such a threat from a stripling to Looseley, who was one of the strongest men in the Force, only as the lad sprang forward, we could all hear distinctly the rattle of some metal in his coat-pocket.
“Well, suppose I take you first, my young cockerel,” said Looseley, as he thrust his hand into the pocket, and drew forth a gold watch and chain.
“I think we’ve got hold of the right thing and the right man this time,” he continued, as he clapped the darbies on Nick’s wrists. For a moment we was all taken so much by surprise, that we hadn’t a word to say, but Rummles was the first to speak.
“Well! what’s all yer blooming row come to?” he exclaimed. “What price for my stealing watches now, eh, copper? My friend here’s been to the theatre as well as me, but I ain’t responsible for his actions, and yer can’t make me so.”
“They was together, and you mistook one for t’other,” said Looseley to me, in a low voice.
“They was not together,” I answered firmly, “I haven’t seen Nick before, to-night. This chap, Rummles, was the only one near the hansom, and I see him rob the gentleman.”
“Anyway, I took this fellow red-handed,” he said.
“Oh! no, no!” cried Nan, who had found her tongue at last. “Officer, you know Nick and you know me! We wouldn’t do such a thing. We’ve been sitting quietly in the gallery all the evening, and walked straight down here. Oh, Mr. Challice, speak for Nick. Don’t let them think he could do such an awful thing. Don’t let them take him away. Oh, Mr. Challice! do be our friend and speak for us!”
She sobbed, as if her heart would break, and I wished to the bottom of mine, that I’d never been on the look-out to catch Rummles. But there it was, you see. The watch wasn’t in his pocket and it was in Nick’s, and the Law goes by facts and not by fancies.