all compose ourselves to listen with great interest and attention.
‘Tally-ho Thompson,’ says Sergeant Witchem, after merely wetting
his lips with his brandy-and-water, ‘Tally-ho Thompson was a famous
horse-stealer, couper, and magsman. Thompson, in conjunction with
a pal that occasionally worked with him, gammoned a countryman out
of a good round sum of money, under pretence of getting him a
situation – the regular old dodge – and was afterwards in the “Hue
and Cry” for a horse – a horse that he stole down in Hertfordshire.
I had to look after Thompson, and I applied myself, of course, in
the first instance, to discovering where he was. Now, Thompson’s
wife lived, along with a little daughter, at Chelsea. Knowing that
Thompson was somewhere in the country, I watched the house –
especially at post-time in the morning – thinking Thompson was
pretty likely to write to her. Sure enough, one morning the
postman comes up, and delivers a letter at Mrs. Thompson’s door.
Little girl opens the door, and takes it in. We’re not always sure
of postmen, though the people at the post-offices are always very
obliging. A postman may help us, or he may not, – just as it
happens. However, I go across the road, and I say to the postman,
after he has left the letter, “Good morning! how are you?” “How
are YOU!” says he. “You’ve just delivered a letter for Mrs.
Thompson.” “Yes, I have.” “You didn’t happen to remark what the
post-mark was, perhaps?” “No,” says he, “I didn’t.” “Come,” says
I, “I’ll be plain with you. I’m in a small way of business, and I
have given Thompson credit, and I can’t afford to lose what he owes
me. I know he’s got money, and I know he’s in the country, and if
you could tell me what the post-mark was, I should be very much
obliged to you, and you’d do a service to a tradesman in a small
way of business that can’t afford a loss.” “Well,” he said, “I do
assure you that I did not observe what the post-mark was; all I
know is, that there was money in the letter – I should say a
sovereign.” This was enough for me, because of course I knew that
Thompson having sent his wife money, it was probable she’d write to
Thompson, by return of post, to acknowledge the receipt. So I said
“Thankee” to the postman, and I kept on the watch. In the
afternoon I saw the little girl come out. Of course I followed
her. She went into a stationer’s shop, and I needn’t say to you
that I looked in at the window. She bought some writing-paper and
envelopes, and a pen. I think to myself, “That’ll do!” – watch her
home again – and don’t go away, you may be sure, knowing that Mrs.
Thompson was writing her letter to Tally-ho, and that the letter
would be posted presently. In about an hour or so, out came the
little girl again, with the letter in her hand. I went up, and
said something to the child, whatever it might have been; but I
couldn’t see the direction of the letter, because she held it with
the seal upwards. However, I observed that on the back of the
letter there was what we call a kiss – a drop of wax by the side of
the seal – and again, you understand, that was enough for me. I
saw her post the letter, waited till she was gone, then went into
the shop, and asked to see the Master. When he came out, I told
him, “Now, I’m an Officer in the Detective Force; there’s a letter
with a kiss been posted here just now, for a man that I’m in search
of; and what I have to ask of you, is, that you will let me look at
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Dickens, Charles – Reprinted Pieces
the direction of that letter.” He was very civil – took a lot of
letters from the box in the window – shook ’em out on the counter
with the faces downwards – and there among ’em was the identical