t go out every evening, but would sometimes spend it
with us, and then he would read either the daily paper or some
entertaining book, and when we had a good stock of caps and frills made
up they would allow me to read books for my own amusement. Of these, as
they sold them, they had a great variety, and thus circumstanced my life
passed very pleasantly. Of _stealing_ I never heard a word, and I began
to think they had only talked of it to frighten me, but the time now
came when I was to be undeceived. One evening when we arrived at our
inn, before we sat down to tea, Mr. Sharpley took six silver teaspoons
and a pair of sugar-tongs out of his pocket, and, laying them on the
table, asked me what I thought he had given for them. As I did not know
the value of such things it was impossible for me to guess, and after
some time he said:

'Why, then, to tell you the truth, I--stole them.'

'Stole them!' I exclaimed with horror. 'How could you do so? Who did you
steal them from?'

'I _took_ them, for we do not generally say _stole_, from the farmer's
wife who bought the stuff gowns and two caps of us this afternoon.'

I was so shocked at the ingratitude and baseness of the action that I
burst into tears.

'You are a silly girl to cry, Lady Anne,' said he. 'These are by no
means the first things I have taken since you have been out with us, for
of an evening when I go out it is generally to some friend of mine, who
takes this kind of goods off my hands, and gives me money instead of
them. When once they are gone I am in no danger, for if I was to be
taken up, and my pack searched, nothing could be found, so I should be
set at liberty again.'

'But,' said I, 'suppose you were to be taken up before you had parted
with them, and they were to be found in your possession, what would be
done to you then?'

'I should most likely be hung,' replied he very calmly.

'Be hung!' I exclaimed. 'But why do you do it? Do you not get enough
money to live upon from the things you sell? You know it is a very
wicked thing to steal. You know the Commandment says "Thou shalt not
steal."'

'Very true, Lady Anne,' said he, laughing. 'It would be a good thing for
the world if we were all as innocent and as well disposed as you are. I
will not argue the subject any further with you now, but I wish, by
degrees, to bring you into our business, and when you will take things
as well as us, you shall have half for yourself.'

'Well, sir,' I repl