You must have seen yourself that Sergeant Cuff laid a trap for both of us.

If he could confuse ME, or irritate HER into breaking out, either she or I might have said something which would answer his purpose.

On the spur of the moment, I saw no better way out of it than the way I took.

It stopped the girl from saying anything, and it showed the Sergeant that I saw through him.

He was evidently listening, Betteredge, when I was speaking to you last night." He had done worse than listen, as I privately thought to myself.