Betty.'

"Well, to make a long story short, your mother went to the lawyer's, an'
had her will made, leavin' a good lump of a sum to your brother, but the
most of the fortin to you. By the advice o' Truefoot Tickle, and
Badger, she made it so that you shouldn't touch the money till you come
to be twenty-one, `for,' says she, `there's no sayin' what bad men will
be runnin' after the poor thing an deceivin' her for the sake of her
money before she is of an age to look after herself.' `Yes,' thought I,
`an' there's no sayin' what bad men'll be runnin' after the poor thing
an' deceivin' of her for the sake of her money _after_ she's of an age
to look after herself,' but I didn't say that out, for your mother was
excited enough and over-anxious about things, I could see that.

"Well, when the will was made out all right, she took it out of her
chest one night an' read it all over to me. I could see it was
shipshape, though I couldn't read a word of its crabbed letters myself.

"`Now Mrs Buxley,' says I, `where are you goin' to keep that
dockiment?'

"`In my chest,' says she.

"`Won't be safe there,' says I, for I knowed her forgivin' and confidin'
natur' too well, an' that she'd never be able to keep it from your
brother; but, before I could say more, there was a tremendous knockin'
wi' a stick at the front door. Your poor mother turned pale--she know'd
the sound too well. `That's Edwin,' she says, jumpin' up an runnin' to
open the door, forgetting all about the will, so I quietly folded it up
an' shoved it in my pocket.

"When Edwin was comin' up stairs I know'd he was very drunk and savage
by the way he was goin' on, an' when he came into the room an' saw me he
gave a yell of rage. `Didn't I tell you never to show your face here
again?' says he. `Just so,' says I, `but not bein' subjec' to your
orders, d'ye see, I _am_ here again.'

"Wi' that he swore a terrible oath an' rushed at me, but he tripped over
a footstool and fell flat on the floor. Before he could recover himself
I made myself scarce an' went home.

"Next mornin', when I'd just finished breakfast a thunderin' rap came to
the door. I know'd it well enough. `Now look out for squalls,' said I
to myself, as I went an' opened it. Edwin jumped in, banged the door
to, an' locked it.

"`You've no occasion to do that' says I, `for I don't expect no
friends--not even bobbies.'

"`You double-faced villain!' says he; `you've bin robbin' my mother!'