I've only got the ground-floor of the
house, and the kitchen and bedroom both look into the alley. I left the
prisoner sitting up by the fire in the kitchen with the baby on her lap.
She hadn't cried or seemed low at all, as she did the night before. I
thought she had a strange look with her eyes, and she got a bit flushed
towards evening. I was afraid of the fever, and I thought I'd call and
ask an acquaintance of mine, an experienced woman, to come back with
me when I went out. It was a very dark night. I didn't fasten the door
behind me; there was no lock; it was a latch with a bolt inside, and
when there was nobody in the house I always went out at the shop door.
But I thought there was no danger in leaving it unfastened that little
while. I was longer than I meant to be, for I had to wait for the woman
that came back with me. It was an hour and a half before we got back,
and when we went in, the candle was standing burning just as I left it,
but the prisoner and the baby were both gone. She'd taken her cloak and
bonnet, but she'd left the basket and the things in it....I was
dreadful frightened, and angry with her for going. I didn't go to give
information, because I'd no thought she meant to do any harm, and I knew
she had money in her pocket to buy her food and lodging.
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