"Can you tell me if a young girl named Jessica returned to you safely
this morning?" Leroy enquired.
"My niece, Jess, d'ye mean?" replied Wilfer, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Ain't seen 'er fer months; run away last June, after 'elping 'erself to
some of my cash, an' ain't been back since. 'Sides, what's it got to do
with you, Guv'nor, I'd like to know? You mind yer own bus'ness."
He leered drunkenly at Leroy, who turned away with a look of disgust. He
knew how useless it was to expect truth from such a quarter.
As the gentleman stepped out into the dirty court and returned to his
car Johann Wilfer blinked his eyes in relief; then with an oath he
stumbled up the rickety stairs into the living-room, and confronted
Jessica, who was standing near the window.
"So that's yer little game, is it?" he said with a sneer; "you're goin'
in for swells right away, are yer, my gal? Got your name as pat as a
poll-parrot. Knows all my private business, I dessay; I'll break every
bone in yer body!"
He stumbled towards her where she stood--her face still transfigured
with joy at the sound of her benefactor's voice--and made a sudden grab
at her hair.
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