The Substitute - Deep Waters, Part 9. by W. W. Jacobs
page 11 of 17 (64%)
page 11 of 17 (64%)
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"'I'll tell 'im wot you say,' she ses, 'as soon as 'is ship comes in.'
"That's a woman all over; the moment they get into a temper they want to hurt somebody; and I made up my mind at once that, if anybody was going to be 'urt, it wasn't me. And, besides, I thought it might be for the skipper's good--in the long run. "I broke it to her as gentle as I could. I didn't tell 'er much, I just gave her a few 'ints. Just enough to make her ask for more. "'And mind,' I ses, 'I don't want to be brought into it. If you should 'appen to take a fancy into your 'ed to wait behind a pile of empties till the ship comes in, and then slip out and foller your 'usband and give 'im the little surprise you spoke of, it's nothing to do with me.' "'I understand,' she ses, biting her lip. 'There's no need for 'im to know that I've been on the wharf at all.' "I gave 'er a smile--I thought she deserved it--but she didn't smile back. She was rather a nice-looking woman in the ordinary way, but I could easy see 'ow temper spoils a woman's looks. She stood there giving little shivers and looking as if she wanted to bite somebody. "'I'll go and hide now,' she ses. "'Not yet,' I ses. 'You'll 'ave to wait till that little blackbeetle in the office 'as gorn.' 'Blackbeetle?' she ses, staring. "'Office-boy,' I ses. 'He'd better not see you at all. S'pose you go off for a bit and come back when I whistle?' |
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