"
"And you call that nothing!"
"It would be something if he had succeeded; but he has still to
do that. I admit, however, that he made me sit up for the time
being. It all comes of going on the job so far from home. There
was the old brute with the whole thing in his morning paper. He
KNEW it must have been done by some fellow who could pass himself
off for a gentleman, and I saw his eyebrows go up the moment I
told him I was the man, with the same old twang that you could
cut with a paper-knife. I did my best to get out of it--swore I
had a pal who was a real swell--but I saw very plainly that I had
given myself away. He gave up haggling. He paid my price as
though he enjoyed doing it. But I FELT him following me when I
made tracks; though, of course, I didn't turn round to see."
"Why not?"
"My dear Bunny, it's the very worst thing you can do. As long as
you look unsuspecting they'll keep their distance, and so long as
they keep their distance you stand a chance. Once show that you
know you're being followed, and it's flight or fight for all
you're worth. I never even looked round; and mind you never do
in the same hole. I just hurried up to Blackfriars and booked
for High Street, Kensington, at the top of my voice; and as the
train was leaving Sloane Square out I hopped, and up all those
stairs like a lamplighter, and round to the studio by the back
streets.
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