Detective Bob Bridger — page 149: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

142 DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. poor mother that gave ye birth, and has rared ye a soft darlin’, to a prison wid yer prayer ?” “No, “Mam Meg, for you have always been kind to me, and my prayer is that both you and I may escape prison. For that reason I wish you to leave here, and I pray that the man from Scotland Yard may be directed here before Billy’s crimes place us all in prison.” ‘ Billy’s crimes! In prison! What do you mane?” ‘Has not Billy robbed people in New York ?” ‘Robbed people in New York! What do you mane?” “What has he been doing when he has gone from the house at night, and brought money back with him ?” “ Workin’! workin’! of course—what else ?”’ “Stealing, Mam Meg, stealing! It is idle to deceive me.” “Decave you! Why, me foine little lady, you take the breath from me wid your catechism. What gave you to think this of Billy ?” “My eyes.” “Your eyes? Well, go on—spake it out! spake it out!” “Mam Meg, when that old Jew saw that we kept close in doors, and sent out for everything, he thought there was something wrong about us—that we were striving to keep hidden from the law.” “Yis, yis; spake it out.” ' Well, he raised the rent from ten dollars a week to’ fifty, didn’t he ?” “Vis. And what did I say to the ould villain ?” “You said that you could not pay the amount, though you had plenty of money, and could do it.” “ Yis, and if I told the old vagabond that, how quick would he raised the rint agin,.and had ivery cint from me? But goon! go on!” “Well, you said you'd have to send Billy out to work, and see if he could raise rent money for you, didn’t you ?” “Vis, [did. Goon! Goon!” “Then the old Jew turned to Billy, and asked him if he could do any work. And Billy winked at you, and then at the old Jew, and suddenly seizing the old Jew from behind, held him tightly, while he pretended to be stealing from his pockets.” ‘“ Yis—and what of that?” “Why, then Billy, and the old Jew, and you, roared out laughing—and the old Jew said that there would be no - doubt that the rest would come. Then he took Billy down. stairs with him, and that night Billy went out, and since then there has been no more talk about the rent. But this: Gomicboo s.com_ as 4 / : . a ‘ ad - mt” a * 4 “SS eae ‘ * . , i