He took the bag which I handed out, and at the same time cast a rather disgusted glance into the surrounding gloom.
"It's a treat, ain't it!" he observed. "Come on like this yes'day afternoon." Then, drawing a little nearer, he added in a lowered voice: "There's a letter for you at the 'ouse, guv'nor. The young laidy give it me laite las' night, an' I took it across at once—saime as you told me."
I tried to cover my unseemly elation by lighting a cigarette. "Where did you meet her?" I enquired.
"She come down to the quay. I see 'er standin' there in the dark, an' I says to me self, As like as not she's wantin' me. So I just slips over alongside of 'er, an' without sayin' nothin' she shoves the letter in my 'and and orf she goes."
I looked at him gratefully. "You're a stout fellow, James," I said "I knew I could depend on you directly I saw you."
He waited until I had paid the cabman, and then, shouldering my bag, accompanied me to the boat.
"I seen 'er again since then," he continued confidentially. "I was comin' along Duke's Laine about 'alf an hour ago, an' she was waitin' to go aboard the doctor's barge."
I stopped short with a very distinct shock.
"Are you sure about that?" I demanded
He nodded a little scornfully. "Dead certain, guv'nor. There ain't no one else you'd mistake for 'er—not round these parts."