longing fur it, poor feller! But oh, Pickles! I do hope as you didn't
tell him no lies, to make him so keen upon it."

"No--not I. I only nodded and made-believe as he wor clever. No, I wor
careful o' the utterances o' the tongue, which is an unruly member."

"Well, I'm glad," said Sue. "I only hope as it ain't wrong to deceive
him."

"No, it ain't a bit wrong; don't you go a fussing about nothink. But now
you have got to listen to me, fur I have got something most serious to
talk over."

"I'll listen," replied Sue.

"Good! And wot little bit o' brain you have you may stick inter the
listening, too, fur you will presently have to think a deal."

"Wery well," answered Sue, who had long ago come to consider Pickles the
greatest oracle she had ever seen.

Pickles planted himself on his knees in front of her, and having placed
one hand firmly on each leg, bent forward until he brought himself into
what he considered a telling position with regard to her face.

"Ef yer want to unearth a secret, stare 'em well right inter the heyes,"
was one of his detective principles.

"Now, Cinderella," he began, "you say as ye're hinnercent o' that 'ere
theft?"

"You know I am," answered Sue.

"And yet that 'ere wauluable trinket wor found in yer pocket."

"Well, I can't help that."

"I'm afraid yer can't, Cinderella; and a wery ugly business it is fur
yer; it 'ud bring yer in guilty in hany court wot hiver."

"I know that, Pickles--I know that only too well; that's why I'm here."

"An' you must stay yere until ye're proved hinnercent."

"Yes."

"Well, that may be awkward--not fur us, but fur poor, little tender
Giles. He thinks as ye're gone to the country, and I give him to
understand as yer would not be back fur maybe a day or two. But he's
hall on a quiver fur yer to come back now; he's hall on a tremble to
know wot the country is like. He says ye're to get a cottage as have a
big winder in it, fur he wants to see the stars o' nights. Now, I think
by the looks o' Giles as he'll fade away wery quick ef yer don't come
back soon."

"Oh, I know it--I know it!" said Sue. "What shall I do? Ef I do go back
I shall be tuk ter prison. Oh! oh! oh!" and she began to weep.

"Don't cry, you silly! Cryin' never mended no broken bones. You dry your
eyes and listen when the oracle speaks."

"I will," said Sue, endeavoring to check her sobs.

"Well then, yer hinnercence must be proved. The way to prove yer
hinnercence is to