You
was brought up to think it wicked. I know all that, but you see we can't
do without it."
"Do you think not?"
"Don't the thirty pounds you're asking for Sarah come out of betting?"
"I suppose it do."
"Most certainly it do."
"I can't help feeling, Bill, that we shan't always be so lucky as we have
been."
"You mean that you think that one of these days we shall have the police
down upon us?"
"Don't you sometimes think that we can't always go on without being
caught? Every day I hear of the police being down on some betting club or
other."
"They've been down on a great number lately, but what can I do? We always
come back to that. I haven't the health to work round from race-course to
race-course as I used to. But I've got an idea, Esther. I've been thinking
over things a great deal lately, and--give me my pipe--there, it's just by
you. Now, hold the candle, like a good girl."
William pulled at his pipe until it was fully lighted. He threw himself on
his back, and then he said--
"I've been thinking things over. The betting 'as brought us a nice bit of
trade here. If we can work up the business a bit more we might, let's say
in a year from now, be able to get as much for the 'ouse as we gave....
What do you think of buying a business in the country, a 'ouse doing a
steady trade? I've had enough of London, the climate don't suit me as it
used to.
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