worst of
all, though. She made me tell 'er everything, and 'eld it over my 'ead.
Next that Aunt Martha came and thought up so many bad things about
me--you know."

"Sure," says I; "but how about this Sir Podmore?"

"I was 'ead laundress at Podmore 'Ouse," says she, "and I thought it was
all up when he saw me here. I never should have tried to do it. I'm a
good 'ousekeeper, if I do say it; but I'm getting to be an old woman now,
and this will end me. It was for Katy I did it, though. Every week she
used to come and throw it in my face that she couldn't call at the front
door and--and----Well, I 'opes you'll believe me, sir; but that was just
the way of it, and if I'm taken to jail it will kill Katy and----"

"Aha!" breaks in a voice behind us. "Here, Pinckney! Come, Geraldine!
This way everybody!" and as I turns around there's Aunt Martha with the
accusin' finger out and her face fairly beamin'. Before I can get in a
word she's assembled the fam'ly.

"What did I tell you?" she cackles. "She's broken down and confessed! I
heard her!"

"Is it true, Shorty?" demands Mrs. Pinckney. "Does she admit that she was
plotting to----"

"Yep!" says I. "It's something awful too, almost enough to curdle your
blood."

"Go on," says Aunt Martha. "Tell us the worst. What is it?"

"It's a case of standin' broad jump," says I, "from housekeeper to
governess, with an age handicap and a crooked entry."

Course, I has to work out the details for 'em, and when I've stated the
whole hideous plot, from the passing of Truckles the Thirsty to the high
pride of Katy the Barkeep's Bride, includin' the tale of the stolen
character and chuckin' the nervy bluff--well, they didn't any of 'em know
what to say. They just stands around gawpin' curious at this sobbin',
wabbly kneed old party slumped down there on the hall seat.

Aunt Martha, actin' as prosecutor for the State, is the first to recover.
"Well, there's no knowin' how far she might have gone," says she. "And
she ought to be punished some way. Pinckney, what are you going to do
with her?"

For a minute he looks from Aunt Martha to the object in the middle of the
circle, and then he drops them black eyelashes lazy, like he was
half-asleep, and I knew somethin' was coming worth listenin' to.

"Considering all the circumstances," says Pinckney, "I think we shall
discharge Marie, increase Mrs. Truckles' salary, give her an assistant,
and ask her to stay with us permanently. Eh, Geraldi