in twenty-four
hours,' 'e says. 'You mind that. And if you 'ave to give it to 'er, you
send at once for me. If you don't send,' 'e says, 'I won't be 'eld
responsible for the consequences.' With that 'e goes, and pore mother
she seemed to take a turn, and all that day and the next she seemed to
drowse like and not take much notice o' things. The neighbours come in
and look at 'er, but she didn't seem to know. We 'ad two quiet nights
with 'er, and then all of a sudden in the middle of the afternoon she
started screamin' and writhin.' Oh, lor, Miss Olga, you never see the
like. It was just as if she were bein' tortured over a slow fire. Well,
Briggs, 'e was fair unmanned by it. 'For 'eaven's sake,' 'e says, 'give
'er the medicine as the doctor left, and I'll go and tell 'im as you've
done it.' And off 'e goes, though it was gettin' latish and no one to
attend to the bar. Well, I fetched the medicine, and I took it to 'er,
and I says, ''Ere you are, mother,' I says, 'you 'ave a dose o' this.
It'll kill the pain.' I gave it 'er in a teaspoon like 'e said, and she
took it. But there, it didn't make no more difference to 'er than if it
'ad been water.'" Mrs. Briggs heaved a sob, and picked up a corner of
her apron to wipe her eyes. "I told 'er as I dursn't give 'er any more
because of what the doctor 'ad said, and I said as 'ow Briggs 'ad gone
for him, and 'e'd know 'ow to quiet 'er when 'e came. But the very
thought of 'im seemed to drive 'er crazy. And then she said that about
the black magic, and 'ow 'e'd never be persuaded to let 'er die easy.
And then she says to me. 'But you didn't shake the bottle,' she says. 'I
expect the stuff that kills the pain is all at the bottom.' And I
thought there might be somethin' in it, so I fetched the bottle again
and shook it up. And I thought I'd give 'er just 'alf a dose more in
case she 'adn't 'ad enough. But just as I was a-goin' to pour it out
there was such a rappin' down in the bar, that I 'ad to just give it 'er
and run. I was back in under a minute, and there was pore mother
a-sittin' up in bed and a-smilin' at me as if all 'er troubles was past,
and says she, 'Annie,' she says, 'I've 'ad enough and I don't want no
more,' she says; 'it's killed the pain.' And then she laid down in bed
still smilin', and says she, 'You tell the doctor when 'e comes as I'm
sorry to 'a' fetched 'im for nothin', but I couldn't wait--.' And--if
you'll believe me, Miss Olga,--those was the last words sh