“What the devil, then, did you find out?”

“Five piastres a dozen, then, only five....  Go on walking, sir, I will run alongside.  Keep shaking your head at me—­very good....  I find out where she are.”

“Where who are?”

The little braggart had roused Billy’s suspicions.  He determined to be wary.

“The young girl with the very light hair.  Mohammed send me to ask of her.  You know, sir,” the little fellow insisted, hopping up and down beside him.  “Only four a dozen—­very cheap!” he screeched at him in a tone that must have carried for blocks.  “I run in with the bread and take it to the kitchen where women are working.  And I pretend make love to one very pretty girl, tell her how I come marry her when I old enough and make enough, and hold up piece money to show how rich I am.  And the rest they think I just make game, but I whisper to her quick how much you pay her for news of that lady upstairs with the fair hair, and I give her some money.  It are not much, sir.  I promise her to come back with more.”

“Go on,” demanded Billy, stopping short.  “What did she tell you?”

“Walk along, sir, walk along.  Just half a dozen then—­very cheap, very beautiful!” cried the little rascal with deep enjoyment of his role.  Billy found his hands clenching frenziedly.  The Imp proceeded, “She are much afraid, that girl, to say things, but I tell her how safe it is an’ I tell her you great big rich man who pay her well.  I make her honest promise to come back with money—­and she very poor girl.  She whisper quick what she know, looking backward over shoulder like this.”  Turning his face about after this dramatic illustration the Imp caught sight of Billy’s countenance, and rolled the rest of his narration into one speedy sentence.

“She are gone,” he cried.

“Gone?”

“Took away....  Take these cards, sir, stop and look at them....  Yes, she are took away.  It happen very quick; early that morning after the other lady go in the night.  Everyone much excited that night, great noise about, and no one know just what happen.  But the Captain give orders quick, and early the motor car is ready and the strange girl go away.  Old woman go, too.  Nobody know where.”

“That would be Sunday morning,” Billy cried excitedly.  “Are you sure there is no mistake?  There were lights in that room on Sunday night.”

“I tell what the girl tell.  She are very honest girl,” the Imp insisted.  “She say the other lady run away with her lover an’ Captain afraid the new lady has a lover so he send her away quick.”

“But he didn’t go himself?”

“No, he have something with his reg-reglement,” gulped the Imp hastily, “that day and he stay and he there now—­but now he sick.”

“What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know, sir, but I know the doctor comes because she say to me to come back and say I am boy from doctor with medicine, and if I don’t see her I must say I lost that medicine and go away, and come again as I can till I bring that money to her.  She are very much afraid, sir.”