He reminded her that Frank had had a clean record up to that time with the police....
But explanation had been fruitless.

Gertie had even threatened a revelation of the facts of the case at the nearest police-station, and the Major had been forced to more manly tactics with her.

He had not used a stick; his hands had served him very well, and in the course of his argument he had made a few insincere remarks on the mutual relations of Frank and Gertie that the girl remembered.
* * * * * He had obtained a frugal little lodging in one of the small streets of York, down by the river--indeed looking straight on to it; and, for a wonder, five days' regular work at the unloading of a string of barges.
The five days expired on the Saturday before Frank was expected, but he had several shillings in hand on the Sunday morning when Frank's letter arrived, announcing that he hoped to be with them again on Sunday night or Monday morning.

Two letters, also, had arrived for his friend on the Sunday morning--one in a feminine handwriting and re-directed, with an old postmark of June, as well as one of the day before--he had held it up to the light and crackled it between his fingers, of course, upon receiving it--and the other an obvious bill--one postmark was Cambridge and the other Barham.

He decided to keep them both intact.