"Let them be honest as can! An' look
'ee, my lad, I'll tell ye what--you leave my dead mother alone or 't
will be the worse for ye."
Having uttered which threat he strode on, scowling and snorting, now
and then, in a very disturbing manner, so that I ventured no further
remark and we walked a great way in silence until, suddenly venting a
snort fiercer and louder then ever, he spoke:
"Honest!" he ejaculated. "Honest--why, curse your carkis, who are you
to talk o' honesty? d'ye know as you're liable to be took by any o'
these honest uns--took an' appre'ended as my accomplice afore an'
arter the fact--d'ye know that?"
"God help me!" I ejaculated, in agonised dismay. "Oh, heaven help me!"
"Let's 'ope so!" he nodded grimly. "Meantime, I intend to do a bit for
ye that way meself--seein' as you 'elped me t'night wi' that cursed
knot. I'd managed 'em all but one an' that were out o' reach--so
because o' that theer knot an' my good mother, I'm a-goin' to--do the
best I can for ye."
"How--when--what do you mean?" I questioned eagerly.
"Never you mind, only I am--an' no man can say honester or fairer, an'
I'm a-goin' t' do my best for ye because, bein' the son o' my blessed
mother, I'm that tender-'earted that, though I'm th' son o' my feyther
I've knowed myself to drop a tear in the very act o' business. She
were an' old lady in a pair-'oss phaeton wi' plenty o' sparklers an'
nice white hair: a rosy old creetur, comfortably plump and
round--'specially in front.
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