Madame Flirt

ch side, a thick greasy mud covered the uneven stones. Dimly he was conscious of the sound of a window being opened here and there, of hoarse

from justice to take sanctuary in the Southwark slums, an impression quite sufficient to ensure their sympathy. At least, this

gain half from exhaustion and half from the greasy mud covered stones. He could hear his pursuers coming nearer and nearer, but his stre

m opened, a hand gripped his shoul

ake haste befor

dimly conscious of a handsome face, of

? Do you want to be murder

done so when the clatter of feet and a confused sound of voices told that his pursuers were approach

r head and cast a scornf

those panels in a hurry. For all that,

you k

aughter was loud r

member that mad night when one of your friends was full of wine? Didn't I c

ndsome woman whom nothing abashed, who could take her liquor like a man, whose beauty fired the souls of the gallants hovering about her wrangling for her smiles, was part of the confused picture that ha

lump arm was round his shoulders on the plea

bring trouble upon you. Those rascals are still clamouring for my blo

dn't have you come to harm. There's

gth was gradually returning, she led him up the first flight-some half d

and is fairly dry now that the tide is out. Y

hanks," h

mself. While his head, slightly thrown back, was above the

iss from Sally Salisbury. You shall have one for no

he ditch, every nerve quivering in a tumult of emotion, and wit

raightened her body and walked leisurely from the room into one at the front of the house on the first floor. The

u want?" sh

ing," was the reply

There's no

stress Sally Sal

It was that of Cap

iking effect upon her luxuriant yellow hair clustering down upon a neck and shoulders that Juno might have envied. The resemblance

es roaming over the coachman's livery in high displeasure. "

r to you either, Sally. Where's the man I'm looking for?

ou're welcome to

aths. When the door was c

heltering this spark. Anyhow you wouldn't do it i

o shut up y

don like you for that fun. Now's your chance. He's sweet on a wench-a raw boarding school miss-he ran off with her an hour or so ago. The little fool thought she was going to be married by a Fleet parson, but somehow she too

o do with me?" broke

crowd-a man who got her away-damn him. I jumpe

a lump beneath his eye which promised t

partridge. By the time I was on my legs the mob were after him. I joined in the hue and cry and we ran him down to

ould have spared your breath, Rofflash. The man's no

window overlooking the Black

you jade?" growled Roffla

ile but it isn't. Look for yourself. Can't

ditch. An irregularly shaped hole immediately below the window showed where

satisfied sea

friend? You wouldn't lift your

lly parried in a fla

wits. Cunning was

s the wind in that quarte

ing for. I'll do her gallant justice. If he's as handy with his blade as he is with his fists he'll

ly sarcastically. "You'

the man she fancies to another wom

d Sally beyond endurance as he intended it shoul

wn business,

huck away a handful of guineas, why do it. All I can say is that my man would give y

wer, Jeremy Rofflash. Put it

a profound bow and

What about this? Something mor

ace. The pearls of which it was composed were suffused with a pinkish tinge, the massive gol

be bribed by that

in her coach on the Bath Road near Maidenhead Thicket-my favourite trysting place with foolish dames who travel with their trinkets and fal-lals. At the sight of my barkers her ladysh

e your highway robb

eturn of her Ladyship's jewels. I dursn't hand 'em about. I've no fancy fo

rophies of his exploits on the Bath Road. The highwayman never grumbled at whatev

and stroked their sm

ame to par

k brave on your

ty knows the Wendover pearls. I'd be marked at the first ridotto or ma

That's all I want. Adieu, mistr

a "flaunting extravagant quean," always over head and ears in debt, refusing a chance to put money in her purse just because she h

a fool 'tis her affair and not mine. I've only got to keep my eye on her. What a woman like her wants she'll get, even if it costs

more's coach was drawn to one side and Dorrimore himself was striding impatiently up and down, o

Rofflash?" he cried, testily.

r hands shortly, Mr. A

ave you

ark whose arms she jumped into is her

so I'll-I'll run him th

has engaged to run him to earth. It only means a few guineas and I made free to promise him

enge. It's the girl I wan

ou see, my good sir, that when you clap your hands

u mean to say

thousand de

l or I shouldn't have made her sweet on me wi

Drury Lane are the places where innocent and unsusp

ye think I don't know gold from dross? I'll take my oath no man

ow if you'll take my advice you'll let me drive you to Moll King's

here thieves and scoundrels, the very dregs of London, mingled with their betters; and amid a bestial uproar, with the assistance of claret and Burgundy, to say nothing of