A MADONNA OF THE CELLS. 
287 
“ By Jove ! Mr. Nugent, you do give me an 
idea/* he said, almost in agitation, 
44 Well, what is it ? ” asked the barrister. 
“ Why 3 it’s most remarkable;’ said Smith. 
44 T wonder it didn’t occur to me before. Of 
course, you never saw the woman known as 
Emily Hopkins ? ” 
“ I never heard of her,” said Nugent. 
“ She’s a notorious shoplifter,” said Smith, 
44 and as clever as they’re made. And what’s 
more, she’s very like this Miss Stewart. I 
acted for tier twice. Once I got her off, and 
once she went up for three months. I wonder 
if I could find her.” 
“ What would you do if you did ? ” asked 
Nugent. 
“ Well, my idea was,” said Smith, to 
get her to come into court, and you could 
ask the witnesses whether they were pre- 
pared to swear the prisoner was the girl 
who took the purse when they saw this other 
woman.” 
But Nugent shook his head. 
44 I daresay I surprise you,” said Smith, 
with an odd shake of his head. 44 But there, 
T own this young lady has moved me very 
much. J;ll just think about this other girl. 
She has quite a remarkable history. Raydon, 
the detective, was her sweetheart before she 
took to thieving. He’ll know all about her. 
I dare say he could tell me something — he 
might get her to show up for us if we 
thought it would work with Mr. Chisholm,” 
“ I very much doubt if she’d put her head in 
the lion’s den,” said Nugent. “ You’d have 
to bribe her heavily.” 
But Smith stood thinking, and presently 
snapped his fingers. 
44 Ah, but I’ve got another notion if she 
won’t,” he said at last, in triumph. “ I won’t 
tell you, Mr. Nugent, because it’s as well you 
shouldn’t know. But I’m not going to let 
Miss Stewart go up if 1 can help it. I’ll go 
down to Scotland Yard at once and see if 1 
ran find Raydon. If I have to pay her can 1 
count on your help ? ” 
“ Of course,” said Nugent, “ and let me 
know over the telephone anything that 
happens.” 
By good luck Smith found Raydon at the 
Yard, and very soon was told everything 
about Emily Hopkins. She had not been in 
trouble for a long time, although it was quite 
Obvious that she had been working very hard. 
According to Raydon, she was anxious to 
leave the country and go to a lover who was 
abroad somewhere. He had a farm, which 
she was apparently doing something to 
finance out of her plunder. At the moment, 
however, she was living in comfortable rooms 
in Trinity Square, in the Borough. 
When Smith left Raydon he took a cab 
and went straight down to the Borough. 
Good luck still pursued him. He found Miss 
Hopkins at home. He sent up his card with a 
communication on it which reminded her 
that he had been of legal assistance to her in 
the past, and was anxious to see her on a 
point which might be to her great personal 
advantage. She consented to receive him. 
He went upstairs with great anxiety. He 
wondered if he had been right in thinking 
that she really did resemble Miss Stewart. 
He was astonishingly relieved when he entered 
the room and saw her. She was certainly of 
the same type. She even had something of 
the same air of innocence, which had no 
doubt stood her in good stead on many occa- 
sions. In fact, she and Nina Stewart might 
have been two sisters, one brought up in 
decent surroundings, the other pitchforked 
into the whirlpool and maelstrom of criminal 
London. 
“ Well, what d’you want with me, Mr. 
Smith ? ” she said, doubtfully. 44 No trouble. 
I hope? 4 Personal advantage tome’ — oh. 
yes ! I say, what d’you want ? ” 
44 Come, now, didn’t I get you out of trouble 
once ? ” asked Mr, Smith, cheerfully. 44 You 
know I did. And 1 suppose if 1 put twenty 
pounds in your way now you’d consider that 
a bit of an obligation, wouldn’t you ? ” 
44 Well, what d’you want with me, and what 
about this twenty pounds ? ” asked the shop- 
lifter. 
44 I hear you’re thinking of emigrating to 
Canada soon,” said Smith. 
44 Who said I was goin’ to Canada ? ” 
asked Miss Hopkins. ik Nobody knows where 
I’m goin’.” 
4 4 1 don’t care where you’re going,” said 
Smith. 44 What l want you to do is to go 
to-night.” 
44 To-night ! ” said Miss Hopkins. 44 It 
couldn’t be done,” 
44 Come, now,” said Smith, 44 I want you 
to take twenty pounds just for writing me a 
letter and saying you are going to Australia, 
or Africa, or anywhere you like.” 
44 I’m not goin’ to tell you where I’m goin’,” 
said Miss Hopkins, shaking her head. 44 Far 
from it. But what’s this game you’re after ? 
Out with it ! Don’t beat about the bush. If 
you’ve got twenty pounds to give away, ’and 
it over. Now, what’s the game ? ” 
Mr. Smith began to tell her something of 
the game. 44 There was a young lady arrested 
yesterday in Tilbury’s — - — ” 
