'er father's whisky, and filled my pipe for me, I wouldn't ha' changed places with a king. Even when the pipe wouldn't draw I didn't mind.

“'May I write a letter?' she ses, at last.

“'May I write a letter?' she ses, at last.

“'Sartainly,' I ses.

“'Sartainly,' I ses.

“She got out her pen and ink and paper, and wrote. 'I sha'n't be long,' she ses, looking up and nibbling 'er pen. 'It's a letter to my dressmaker; she promised my dress by six o'clock this afternoon, and I am just writing to tell her that if I don't have it by ten in the morning she can keep it.'

“She got out her pen and ink and paper, and wrote. 'I sha'n't be long,' she ses, looking up and nibbling 'er pen. 'It's a letter to my dressmaker; she promised my dress by six o'clock this afternoon, and I am just writing to tell her that if I don't have it by ten in the morning she can keep it.'

“'Quite right,' I ses; 'it's the on'y way to get things done.'

“'Quite right,' I ses; 'it's the on'y way to get things done.'

“'It's my way,' she ses, sticking the letter in an envelope and licking it down. 'Nice name, isn't it?'

“'It's my way,' she ses, sticking the letter in an envelope and licking it down. 'Nice name, isn't it?'

“She passed it over to me, and I read the name and address: 'Miss Minnie Miller, 17, John Street, Mile End Road.'

“She passed it over to me, and I read the name and address: 'Miss Minnie Miller, 17, John Street, Mile End Road.'

“'That'll wake her up,' She ses, smiling. 'Will you ask Joe to take it for me?'

“'That'll wake her up,' She ses, smiling. 'Will you ask Joe to take it for me?'

“'He—he's on guard,' I ses, smiling back at 'er and shaking my 'ead.

“'He—he's on guard,' I ses, smiling back at 'er and shaking my 'ead.

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