'By Jingo! I say by Jingo?' cried I. 'St. Catherine guard me! Indeed, your Excellenza, my only oath is Santa Maria.'
'She swore at me like a trooper,' continued the little imp, 'so I pulled out my purse in a fright, and she snatched it from me, and ran away, and I after her, calling stop thief; and this is the whole truth 'pon my honour and word, and as I hope to be married.'
The watchman declared that he had caught me running away, that he had found the purse in my hand, and that Maria had described it, and the money contained in it, accurately.
'And will your worship,' said Maria, 'ask the girl to describe the sixpence that is in it?'
The magistrate turned to me.
'Really,' said I, 'as I never even saw it, I cannot possibly pretend to describe it.'
'Then I can,' cried she. ''Tis bent in two places, and stamped on one of its sides with a D and an H.'
The sixpence was examined, and answered her description of it.
'The case is clear enough,' said the magistrate, 'and now, Miss, try whether you can advocate your own cause as well as Jerry Sullivan's.'
Jerry, who still remained in the room, came behind me, and whispered, 'Troth, Miss, I have no brains, but I have a bit of an oath, if that is of any use to you. I would sell my soul out of gratitude, at any time.'