"'You may rely upon me. I shall be there to represent you legally, as I am willing now to assist you privately. We are near the station. Have you nothing more to say to me?'
"'Did you tell me that I should be searched at the station, or is it only my fear?'
"'It is almost certain you will be searched.'
"'They must find nothing upon me; they must not know who I am, or my daughter's happiness is wrecked.'
"Hastily and stealthily she extracted from her pocket a key, a purse and a handkerchief, and slipped them into his hands. As hastily and stealthily he slipped them into his own pocket. The policeman had not observed the proceeding.
"'Will you not require you handkerchief?' asked our reporter.
"'I must do without it. My initials are worked upon it, and it might lead to my identification. They must not, they must not know!'
"This remark would have seriously disturbed our reporter if he had not made up his mind to believe thoroughly, for the time being, everything the woman told him, and to leave it to the future to decide whether she was or was not deceiving him.
"'Should I be detained,' said the woman, 'you will go to my daughter and assure her I am in no danger?'
"'You will not wait till morning? You will go at once?'
"'Heaven reward you! Believe a suffering, much-wronged woman, sir, your confidence is not misplaced.'
"They had not time to exchange another word; they were at the station door.
"The Inspector was within, taking the night charges, and our reporter saw with satisfaction that it was an officer with whom he was acquainted.
"Inspector Jealous looked up. 'Hallo,' he said, 'what brings you here?'
"'I come on behalf of this lady,' replied our reporter, 'against whom a policeman on duty on the Thames Embankment has a groundless charge to make.'
"The Inspector's eyes wandered from our reporter to the lady. The policeman came forward and laid his charge in a temperate manner. Inspector Jealous listened in silence.
"'I thought at first,' said the policeman, 'that it was a child she had thrown into the river, but the gentleman here thinks the other way, and he is as likely to be right as I am. Of her attempt at suicide I am certain.'
"'That is a distinct charge,' said Inspector Jealous, dipping his pen in the ink. 'The bundle, whatever it is, can, I dare say, be recovered.' He called a constable, and gave him some whispered instructions; after which the man left the office. 'You can join him presently on the Embankment. Do you know the woman?' Pinned to formula, Inspector Jealous ignored our reporter's reference to her as a lady.