Barry Pain

“ During that month she did admirably, showed great resource, and produced several novelties out of which the firm made a good profit. They kept her on, but they did not renew the guarantee. This may have been carelessness—Stanwick himself said it was an oversight—but I think myself that they had been convinced too readily of the woman's honesty and ability and did not think the guarantee necessary. She was well paid, had no one but herself to support, and was now infinitely better off than her cousin, Mrs Gimbrell, who had befriended her. ”

“ When the punishment comes I may change my mind."
I appeared depressed as I left him, and he told me to cheer up. As soon as I was out in the street I did cheer up. I very seldom laugh, but I smiled as I walked back to my house in Bloomsbury. Undoubtedly it might appear to a superficial observer that I had lost the game. ”

“ That's the queer part of it. I'm in luck because the burglar did take something. He took my collection of stamps."
"I confess that I don't see it. I thought you valued that collection particularly."
"So I did, and it's because I did that I have been so lucky. Some time ago I had an impression that the collection ought to be worth close on two thousand pounds, and I had it specially insured for that amount. Well, one lives and learns. ”

“ Mrs Gimbrell had a very proper desire to persuade her cousin to lead a new life, and consulted me on the subject.
"Fust, she drinks because she ain't got nothing else to do, and then she ain't got nothing else to do because she drinks. And that's how it is. Goes on and on like. But she's a woman as might make a good living twenty different ways. ”