he was laying awake thinking it over one night while Bill was sleeping
peaceful by her side, when all of a sudden she 'ad an idea. The more she
thought of it the better it seemed; but she laid awake for ever so long
afore she dared to do more than think. Three or four times she turned
and looked at Bill and listened to 'im breathing, and then, trembling all
over with fear and excitement, she began 'er little game.

"He did send it," she ses, with a piercing scream. "He did send it."

"W-w-wot's the matter?" ses Bill, beginning to wake up.

Mrs. Burtenshaw didn't take any notice of 'im.

"He did send it," she ses, screaming agin. "Every Friday night reg'lar.
Oh, don't let 'im see you agin."

Bill, wot was just going to ask 'er whether she 'ad gone mad, gave a
awful 'owl and disappeared right down in the middle o' the bed.

"There's some mistake," ses Mrs. Burtenshaw, in a voice that could ha'
been 'eard through arf-a-dozen beds easy. "It must ha' been lost in the
post. It must ha' been."

She was silent for a few seconds, then she ses, "All right," she ses,
"I'll bring it myself, then, by hand every week. No, Bill sha'n't come;
I'll promise that for 'im. Do go away; he might put his 'ead up at any
moment."

She began to gasp and sob, and Bill began to think wot a good wife he 'ad
got, when he felt 'er put a couple of pillers over where she judged his
'ead to be, and hold 'em down with her arm.

"Thank you, Mr. Winch," she ses, very loud. "Thank you. Good-by,
Good-by."

She began to quieten down a bit, although little sobs, like wimmen use
when they pretend that they want to leave off crying but can't, kept
breaking out of 'er. Then, by and by, she quieted down altogether and a
husky voice from near the foot of the bed ses: "Has it gorn?"

"Oh, Bill," she ses, with another sob, "I've seen the ghost!"

"Has it gorn?" ses Bill, agin.

"Yes, it's gorn," ses his wife, shivering. "Oh, Bill, it stood at the
foot of the bed looking at me, with its face and 'ands all shiny white,
and damp curls on its forehead. Oh!"

Bill came up very slow and careful, but with 'is eyes still shut.

"His wife didn't get the money this week," ses Mrs. Burtenshaw; "but as
he thought there might be a mistake somewhere he appeared to me instead
of to you. I've got to take the money by hand."

"Yes, I heard," ses Bill; "and mind, if you should lose it or be robbed
of it, let me know at once. D'ye hear? At once!"

"