ning me any yarns on to
it, well, it'll only be the worse for you. I don't mind telling
you, you're in a pretty bad mess!"

The prisoner put down the glass wearily and wiped his forehead
with the back of his hand. Though the room was bitterly cold, the
perspiration stood out in beads on his brow.

"I have told the trewth, sir," he said hoarsely, "and it goes
against me, don't it? Hafen't I not gif myself op to the
policeman? Couldn't I not haf drop the svag and ron away? For
sure! And vy didn't I not do it? For vy, because of vot I seen in
that house. I've 'ad my bit of trobble mit the police and vy
should I tell them how I vos op to a game last night if I vas not
a-telling the trewth, eh! I've been on the crook, gentlemen, I
say it, ja, but I ain't no murderer, God choke me I ain't!

"I've earned gut monney in my time on the 'alls but life is very
'ardt, and I've been alvays hongry these days. Yesterday I meet
old Mac wot I used to meet about the 'alls I vos workin' along o'
my boss... at the agent's it vos were I vos lookin' for a shop!
The perfesh always makes a splash about its salaries, gentlemen,
and Mac 'e vos telling me vot a lot o' monney he make on the
Samuel Circuit and 'ow 'e 'ad it at home all ready to put into
var savings certif'kits. I never done a job like this von before,
gentlemen, but I vos hardt pushed for money, s'welp me I vos!

"I left it till late last night because of these air raids... I
vanted to be sure that ole Mac and 'is daughter should be asleep.
I god in from the back of the louse, oi, oi, bot it vos dead
easy! through the scollery vindow. I cleared op a bagful of stuff
in the dining-room... there vosn't, anything vorth snatching
outer the parlor... and sixty-five quid out of an old cigar-box
in the desk. The police 'as got it... I give it all back! I say I
haf stolen, but murder? No!" He paused.

"Go on," said the Chief.

The prisoner looked about him in a frightened way.

"I vos jus' thinking I had better be getting avay, he continued
in his hoarse, gutteral voice, 'ven snick.!... I hears a key in
the front door. I vos, standing by the staircase... I had no time
to get out by the vay I had kom so I vent opstairs to the landing
vere there vos a curtain. I shlip behind the curtain and vait! I
dare not look out but I listen, I listen.. I hear some one go
into the dining-room and move about. I open the curtain a little
way... so!... because I think I vill shlip downstairs vile th