“Hold on, Josef!” he cries; “wait Nance!”
He seizes the bag, hurries it away into an inner room, and returns panting for breath. Drawing a stool toward the table, he perches himself thereon and leers across at the two sneak thieves.
“So ye ain’t had any luck, girl?” he says, in a wheedling tone, “and Josef, here, wants money. Do ye want more than ye’ve got Josef?”
“Ha ha! Do I?” And Josef slaps his pockets suggestively.
“Now listen, both of you. Suppose, I could help you two to earn some money easy and honest, what then?”
“Easy and honest!” repeats Siebel, with a snort of derision; “Oh, Lord!”
But the girl leans forward with hungry eyes, saying eagerly: “How? tell us how.”
“I’ll tell you. Suppose, just suppose, a certain rich lady—very rich, mind—being a little in my debt, should come here to-night to see me. And suppose she is very anxious not to be seen by any body—on account of her high position, you know—”
“Oh, lip it livelier!” cries Siebel impatiently. “Stow yer swash.”
“Well; suppose you and Nance, here, was to come in sudden and see the lady face to face, why, for fear she might be called on by—say by Nance, she might pay a little, don’t you see—”