‘She’s been kept by Marston at his grand place all this time. Mrs. Smith told me about the young gal as was there, and I see how it was in a minnit. It was that teacher-lady as used to come here, as he married—she ‘ticed her away.’
‘Ah!’ said Gurth, shaking his head, ‘there was some deep game on, Josh, in Marston keeping Gertie dark from you. Now, whatever it was, it’s beyond his reach now.’
‘I dunuo,’ answered Heckett. ‘I think it was the teacher-lady as was at the bottom on it. Poor Gertie! I didn’t use her as I oughter a done. For my poor dead girl’s sake I oughter a kept her out o’ my swim.’
‘And yet even now you are going to leave your property away from her!’
‘Yes, I am. Do you think she’d thank me for it, seein’ how I got it—by robbin’ and swindlin’? It’s dirty money, governor, and I wants to do a lot o’ good with it. I should like it for to go to a chapel, or a church, or something. There cannot be no harm in that, ean there?’
‘Is it in money?’
‘Well, not all on it; a good bit is. There’s a lot o’ plate and a lot o’ joolery, but I suppose that wouldn’t matter. Churches and chapels don’t ask no questions when they has property left ‘em, do they?’ Gurth smiled.
‘Can’t say, Josh. I haven’t any experience.’
‘At any rate, the gal don’t soil her fingers with none on it. I should like to leave her summat, too—summat as I come by all right and proper—summat as I needn’t be ashamed on; but I’m blest if I ever earned much on the square, when I comes to think it over.’
Gurth turned the conversation.