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But filled as much as you could fill me, bless your 'eart. I aren't never goin' to forget that, Gov'nor no fear. An eater and a scrapper I am, sir; and I'll scrap for you, sir, while there's a bloomin' breff left in my blessed body! Gimme the tip wot kind of work I can do for you, Gov'nor, will you? I want to get them two 'arf-crowns off my conscience as quick as I can."
He threw his curly head back and laughed till his sides shook. 'Lor, I didn't think I wor goin to know quite so soon! An sich queer 'arf-crowns, they ses, as she keeps a-changin. Jarge somethin an old cove in a wig. An 'ere they is, I'll be blowed some on 'em. Well, yer a nice un, yer are! He stared her up and down with a kind of admiration. Bessie began to cry feebly the crying of a lost soul.
She'd used to treat every young feller, an plenty old uns too, as turned up; an there was a many as only went to Dawson's becos they knew as she'd treat 'em. Now she didn't go on tick at Dawson's; she'd pay an she allus payed in 'arf-crowns. 'Ee wanted to see summat, 'ee said an I dessay 'ee did. An people began to taak. Last night theer wor a bit of a roompus, it seems, while Mrs.
She might have taken more and Timothy less; no doubt she was making it out as bad as she could for Timothy. But it lay between them his wife and his son it lay between them. 'An I 'eard yer comin, she ended; 'an I thought I'd tell yer an I wor frightened about the 'arf-crowns people 'ad been talkin so at Dawson's an I didn't see no way out an an
"I sold it for thirty bob," ses Bob Pretty, "and when I went out this evening I left the money on my bedroom mantelpiece one pound, two arf-crowns, two two-shilling pieces, and two sixpences. My wife and her sister both saw it there. That they'll swear to." "Well, wot about it?" ses Sam Jones, staring at 'im.
She'd used to treat every young feller, an' plenty old 'uns too, as turned up; an' there was a many as only went to Dawson's becos they knew as she'd treat 'em. Now, she didn't go on tick at Dawson's; she'd pay, an' she allus payed in 'arf-crowns. An' those 'arf-crowns were curious 'arf-crowns; an' it came into Dawson's 'ead as he'd colleck them 'arf-crowns.
Brisher's voice sank to a whisper, and once more he spoke behind his hand. His manner was suddenly suffused with a positive joy. "Issuing counterfeit coins," he said. "Counterfeit coins!" "You don't mean to say ?" "Yes-It. Bad. Quite a long case they made of it. But they got 'im, though he dodged tremenjous. Traced 'is 'aving passed, oh! nearly a dozen bad 'arf-crowns." "And you didn't ?"
'I mind well as when I were a lad, sixteen year ago, my fayther borrered a bit o' money off John Bolderfield, to buy a cow with an there was 'arf of it in them 'arf-crowns. Those standing near overheard. Bessie and the girl stopped quarrelling. The landlord, startled, cast a sly eye in Bessie's direction. She came up to the bar. 'What's that yer sayin? she demanded. The man repeated his remark.
"Not quite; but I'm going to," ses Sam, "and I'll bet you even arf-crowns she ses 'yes." Ginger wouldn't take 'im, and no more would Peter, not even when he raised it to five shillings; and the vain way old Sam lay there boasting and talking about 'is way with the gals made 'em both feel ill. "I wouldn't 'ave her if she asked me on 'er bended knees," ses Ginger, holding up his 'ead.
Then the gent crawls out and hands me five bob two 'arf-crowns and then he helps the lady out, and away they waddles to the doorway and I see them start up the stairs very slow regler Pilgrim's Progress. And that was the last I see of 'em." Thorndyke wrote down the cabman's statement verbatim together with his own questions, and then asked: "Can you give us any description of the gentleman?"
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