He could
not pay. It appeared he had already resold the
hampers, and he defied me to do my worst. I did not
like to lose my own money; I hated to lose Pinkerton's;
and the bearing of my creditor incensed me.
"Do you know, Mr. Speedy, that I can send you to the
penitentiary?" said I, willing to read him a lesson.
The dire expression was overheard in the next room. A
large, fresh, motherly Irishwoman ran forth upon the
instant, and fell to besiege me with caresses and
appeals. "Sure now, and ye couldn't have the heart to
ut, Mr. Dodd--you, that's so well known to be a
pleasant gentleman; and it's a pleasant face ye have,
and the picture of me own brother that's dead and gone.
It's a truth that he's been drinking. Ye can smell it
off of him, more blame to him. But, indade, and
there's nothing in the house beyont the furnicher, and
Thim Stock. It's the stock that ye'll be taking, dear.
A sore penny it has cost me, first and last, and, by
all tales, not worth an owld tobacco-pipe." Thus
adjured, and somewhat embarrassed by the stern attitude
I had adopted, I suffered myself to be invested with a
considerable quantity of what is called "wild-cat
stock," in which this excellent if illogical female had
been squandering her hard-earned gold.
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