And I don't
know but what it won't be my last. For this 'ere cow, she reminds
me of my father, and I know 'ow 'e'd 'ave 'ided me if I'd laid
'ands on a 'a'penny as wasn't my own.'
'I'm sure he would,' Jane agreed kindly; 'but what made you come
here?'
'Well, miss,' said the burglar, 'you know best 'ow you come by them
cats, and why you don't like the police, so I'll give myself away
free, and trust to your noble 'earts. (You'd best bale out a bit,
the pan's getting fullish.) I was a-selling oranges off of my
barrow--for I ain't a burglar by trade, though you 'ave used the
name so free--an' there was a lady bought three 'a'porth off me.
An' while she was a-pickin' of them out--very careful indeed, and
I'm always glad when them sort gets a few over-ripe ones--there was
two other ladies talkin' over the fence. An' one on 'em said to
the other on 'em just like this--
"'I've told both gells to come, and they can doss in with M'ria and
Jane, 'cause their boss and his missis is miles away and the kids
too. So they can just lock up the 'ouse and leave the gas
a-burning, so's no one won't know, and get back bright an' early by
'leven o'clock. And we'll make a night of it, Mrs Prosser, so we
will. I'm just a-going to run out to pop the letter in the post.
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