By the time Bill ’ad sent off six orders she was worn to skin and bone a’most a-worrying over the way Silas Winch was spending her money.  She dursn’t undeceive Bill for two reasons:  fust of all, because she didn’t want ’im to take to drink agin; and secondly, for fear of wot he might do to ’er if ’e found out ’ow she’d been deceiving ’im.

She was laying awake thinking it over one night while Bill was sleeping peaceful by her side, when all of a sudden she ’ad an idea.  The more she thought of it the better it seemed; but she laid awake for ever so long afore she dared to do more than think.  Three or four times she turned and looked at Bill and listened to ’im breathing, and then, trembling all over with fear and excitement, she began ’er little game.

“He did send it,” she ses, with a piercing scream.  “He did send it.”

“W-w-wot’s the matter?” ses Bill, beginning to wake up.

Mrs. Burtenshaw didn’t take any notice of ’im.

“He did send it,” she ses, screaming agin.  “Every Friday night reg’lar.  Oh, don’t let ’im see you agin.”

Bill, wot was just going to ask ’er whether she ’ad gone mad, gave a awful ‘owl and disappeared right down in the middle o’ the bed.

“There’s some mistake,” ses Mrs. Burtenshaw, in a voice that could ha’ been ‘eard through arf-a-dozen beds easy.  “It must ha’ been lost in the post.  It must ha’ been.”

She was silent for a few seconds, then she ses, “All right,” she ses, “I’ll bring it myself, then, by hand every week.  No, Bill sha’n’t come; I’ll promise that for ’im.  Do go away; he might put his ’ead up at any moment.”

She began to gasp and sob, and Bill began to think wot a good wife he ’ad got, when he felt ’er put a couple of pillers over where she judged his ’ead to be, and hold ’em down with her arm.

“Thank you, Mr. Winch,” she ses, very loud.  “Thank you.  Good-by, Good-by.”

She began to quieten down a bit, although little sobs, like wimmen use when they pretend that they want to leave off crying but can’t, kept breaking out of ’er.  Then, by and by, she quieted down altogether and a husky voice from near the foot of the bed ses:  “Has it gorn?”

“Oh, Bill,” she ses, with another sob, “I’ve seen the ghost!”

“Has it gorn?” ses Bill, agin.

“Yes, it’s gorn,” ses his wife, shivering.  “Oh, Bill, it stood at the foot of the bed looking at me, with its face and ’ands all shiny white, and damp curls on its forehead.  Oh!”

Bill came up very slow and careful, but with ’is eyes still shut.

“His wife didn’t get the money this week,” ses Mrs. Burtenshaw; “but as he thought there might be a mistake somewhere he appeared to me instead of to you.  I’ve got to take the money by hand.”

“Yes, I heard,” ses Bill; “and mind, if you should lose it or be robbed of it, let me know at once.  D’ye hear?  At once!”