Hearing the shouts of pursuers behind him, and being incommoded by passers-by in the crowded thoroughfare, Miles turned sharply into a by-street, and would have easily made his escape--being uncommonly swift of foot--had he not been observed by an active little man of supple frame and presumptuous tendencies.  Unlike the mass of mankind around him--who stared and wondered--the active little man took in the situation at a glance, joined in the pursuit, kept well up, thus forming a sort of connecting-link between the fugitive and pursuers, and even took upon himself to shout "Stop thief!" as he ran.  Miles endeavoured to throw him off by putting on, as schoolboys have it, "a spurt."  But the active little man also spurted and did not fall far behind.  Then Miles tried a second double, and got into a narrow street, which a single glance showed him was a blind alley!  Disappointment and anger hereupon took possession of him, and he turned at bay with the tiger-like resolve to run a-muck!