Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. I, 1889.djvu/99

 almost to the last point of endurance by her day and night of labour and agitation. Her face was bloodless, her eyelids were swollen with the need of sleep.

"Sixpence!" she faltered, "I'm sure I haven't seen no sixpence, miss."

"You haven't? Now, I've caught you at last. There's been nobody 'ere but you. Little thief! We'll see about this in the mornin', an' to-night you shall sleep in the back-kitchen!"

The child gasped for breath. The terror of sudden death could not have exceeded that which rushed upon her heart when she was told that she must pass her night in the room where lay the coffin.

"An' you shan't have no candle, neither," proceeded Clem, delighted with the effect she was producing. "Come along! I'm off to bed, an' I'll see you safe locked in first, so as no one can come an' hurt you."

"Miss! please!—I can't, I durstn't!"

Jane pleaded in inarticulate anguish. But Clem had caught her by the arm, was