“What do you mean?” he exclaimed. “I shall give you no money.”
She looked round at Edith, who stood by trembling.
“Tell him he’d best, mistress—for thy sake! Come, it’s worth a guinea! There’s many a folk hereabouts would gi’ five, to see what I saw t’other day, down to Omberley wood.”
Edith started in a new terror, while her face flushed scarlet and her head swam round. Santley winced, but preserving his composure, looked fixedly and sternly at the outcast.
“You’re a bold hussy,” he said, between his set teeth, “as bold as bad. But take care! Do you know that if I only say one word, I can have you up before the magistrates and sent back to prison?”
“What for?” snarled the girl.
“For vagrancy, begging, and threatening a lady on the roadside!”
“A pretty lady. And I bean’t begging, neither. Well, send me to prison, and when I’m up before the magistrates, I’ll tell’em why you were down upon me. Come!”
Santley was about to reply angrily, when Edith interposed. Trembling and almost fainting, she had taken out her purse.
“Here is some money,” she cried; “give it to her and let her go!”