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and actions that they were all three talking with extraordinary
earnestness on some subject which deeply interested them。 After
having been engaged in this way a full quarter of an hour； they
suddenly turned round to retrace their steps。 My presence of mind
did not forsake me in this emergency。 I signed to the two
subordinates to walk on carelessly and pass them； while I myself
slipped dexterously behind a tree。 As they came by me； I heard
〃Jack〃 address these words to Mr。 Jay：
〃Let us say half…past ten to…morrow morning。 And mind you come in
a cab。 We had better not risk taking one in this neighborhood。〃
Mr。 Jay made some brief reply which I could not overhear。 They
walked back to the place at which they had met； shaking hands
there with an audacious cordiality which it quite sickened me to
see。 They then separated。 I followed Mr。 Jay。 My subordinates
paid the same delicate attention to the other two。
Instead of taking me back to Rutherford Street； Mr。 Jay led me to
the Strand。 He stopped at a dingy； disreputable…looking house；
which； according to the inscription over the door； was a
newspaper office； but which； in my judgment； had all the external
appearance of a place devoted to the reception of stolen goods。
After remaining inside for a few minutes； he came out whistling；
with his finger and thumb in his waistcoat pocket。 Some men would
now have arrested him on the spot。 I remembered the necessity of
catching the two confederates； and the importance of not
interfering with the appointment that had been made for the next
morning。 Such coolness as this； under trying circumstances； is
rarely to be found； I should imagine； in a young beginner； whose
reputation as a detective policeman is still to make。
From the house of suspicious appearance Mr。 Jay betook himself to
a cigar…divan； and read the magazines over a cheroot。 From the
divan he strolled to the tavern and had his chops。 I strolled to
the tavern and had my chops。 When he had done he went back to his
lodging。 When I had done I went back to mine。 He was overcome
with drowsiness early in the evening； and went to bed。 As soon as
I heard him snoring； I was overcome with drowsiness and went to
bed also。
Early in the morning my two subordinates came to make their
report。
They had seen the man named 〃Jack〃 leave the woman at the gate of
an apparently respectable villa residence not far from the
Regent's Park。 Left to himself； he took a turning to the right；
which led to a sort of suburban street； principally inhabited by
shopkeepers。 He stopped at the private door of one of the houses；
and let himself in with his own keylooking about him as he
opened the door； and staring suspiciously at my men as they
lounged along on the opposite side of the way。 These were all the
particulars which the subordinates had to communicate。 I kept
them in my room to attend on me； if needful； and mounted to my
peep…hole to have a look at Mr。 Jay。
He was occupied in dressing himself； and was taking extraordinary
pains to destroy all traces of the natural slovenliness of his
appearance。 This was precisely what I expected。 A vagabond like
Mr。 Jay knows the importance of giving himself a respectable look
when he is going to run the risk of changing a stolen bank…note。
At five minutes past ten o'clock he had given the last brush to
his shabby hat and the last scouring with bread…crumb to his
dirty gloves。 At ten minutes past ten he was in the street； on
his way to the nearest cab…stand； and I and my subordinates were
close on his heels。
He took a cab and we took a cab。 I had not overheard them appoint
a place of meeting when following them in the Park on the
previous day； but I soon found that we were proceeding in the old
direction of the Avenue Road gate。 The cab in which Mr。 Jay was
riding turned into the Park slowly。 We stopped outside； to avoid
exciting suspicion。 I got out to follow the cab on foot。 Just as
I did so； I saw it stop； and detected the two confederates
approaching it from among the trees。 They got in； and the cab was
turned about directly。 I ran back to my own cab and told the
driver to let them pass him； and then to follow as before。
The man obeyed my directions； but so clumsily as to excite their
suspicions。 We had been driving after them about three minutes
（returning along the road by which we had advanced） when I looked
out of the window to see how far they might be ahead of us。 As I
did this； I saw two hats popped out of the windows of their cab；
and two faces looking back at me。 I sank into my place in a cold
sweat； the expression is coarse； but no other form of words can
describe my condition at that trying moment。
〃We are found out！〃 I said； faintly； to my two subordinates。 They
stared at me in astonishment。 My feelings changed instantly from
the depth of despair to the height of indignation。
〃It is the cabman's fault。 Get out； one of you；〃 I said； with
dignity〃get out； and punch his head。〃
Instead of following my directions （I should wish this act of
disobedience to be reported at headquarters） they both looked out
of the window。 Before I could pull them back they both sat down
again。 Before I could express my just indignation； they both
grinned； and said to me： 〃Please to look out； sir！〃
I did look out。 Their cab had stopped。
Where？
At a church door！
What effect this discovery might have had upon the ordinary run
of men I don't know。 Being of a strong religious turn myself； it
filled me with horror。 I have often read of the unprincipled
cunning of criminal persons； but I never before heard of three
thieves attempting to double on their pursuers by entering a
church！ The sacrilegious audacity of that proceeding is； I should
think； unparalleled in the annals of crime。
I checked my grinning subordinates by a frown。 It was easy to see
what was passing in their superficial minds。 If I had not been
able to look below the surface； I might； on observing two nicely
dressed men and one nicely dressed woman enter a church before
eleven in the morning on a week day； have come to the same hasty
conclusion at which my inferiors had evidently arrived。 As it
was； appearances had no power to impose on _me_。 I got out； and；
followed by one of my men； entered the church。 The other man I
sent round to watch the vestry door。 You may catch a weasel
asleep； but not your humble servant； Matthew Sharpin！
We stole up the gallery stairs； diverged to the organ…loft； and
peered through the curtains in front。 There they were； all three；
sitting in a pew belowyes； incredible as it may appear； sitting
in a pew below！
Before I could determine what to do； a clergyman made his
appearance in full canonicals from the vestry door； followed by a
clerk。 My brain whirled and my eyesight grew dim。 Dark
remembrances of robberies committed in vestries floated through
my mind。 I trembled for the excellent man in full canonicalsI
even trembled for the clerk。
The clergyman placed himself inside the altar rails。 The three
desperadoes approached him。 He opened his book and began to read。
What？ you will ask。
I answer； without the slightest hesitation； the first lines of
the Marriage Service。
My subordinate had the audacity to look at me； and then to stuff
his pocket…handkerchief into his mouth。 I scorned to pay any
attention to him。 After I had discovered that the man 〃Jack〃 was
the bridegroom； and that the man Jay acted the part of father；
and gave away the bride； I left the church； followed by my men；
and joined the other subordinate outside the vestry door。 Some
people in my position would now have felt rather crestfallen； and
would have begun to think that they had made a very foolish
mistake。 Not the faintest misgiving of any kind troubled me。 I
did not feel in the slightest degree depreciated in my own
estimation。 And even now； after a lapse of three hours； my mind
remains； I am happy to say； in the same calm and hopeful
condition。
As soon as I and my subordinates were assembled together outside
the church； I intimated my intention of still following the other
cab in spite of what had occurred。 My reason for deciding on this
course will appear presently。 The two subordinates appeared to be
astonished at my resolution。 One of them had the impertinence to
say to me：
〃If you please； sir； who is it that we are after？ A man who has
stolen money； or a man who has stolen a wife？〃
The other low person encouraged him by laughing。 Both have
deserved an official reprimand； and both； I sincerely trust； will
be sure to get it。
When the marriage ceremony was over； the three got into their cab
and once more our vehicle （neatly hidden round the corner of the
church； so that they could not suspect it to be near them）
started to follow theirs。
We traced them to the terminus of the Southwestern Railway。 The
newly…married couple took tickets for Richmond； paying their fare
with a half sovereign； and so depriving me of the pleasure of
arresting them； which I should certainly have done if they had
offered a bank…note。 They parted from Mr。 Jay； saying： 〃Remember
the address14 Babylon Terrace。 You dine with us to…morrow
week。〃 Mr。 Jay accept