When they had severally remained in this condition for some minutes,

Miss Sally all at once gave a loud rap upon the desk with her clenched

fist, and cried, 'I've hit it!' - as indeed she had, and chipped a piece out

of it too; but that was not her meaning.

'Well,' cried Brass anxiously. 'Go on, will you!'

Why,' replied his sister with an air of triumph, 'hasn't there been

somebody always coming in and out of this office for the last three or

four weeks; hasn't that somebody been left alone in it sometimes -

thanks to you; and do you mean to tell me that that somebody isn't

the thief!'

What somebody?' blustered Brass.

Why, what do you call him - Kit.'

Mr Garland's young man?'

To be sure.'

Never!' cried Brass. 'Never. I'll not hear of it. Don't tell me' - said

Sampson, shaking his head, and working with both his hands as if he

were clearing away ten thousand cobwebs. 'I'll never believe it of him.

Never!'

'I say,' repeated Miss Brass, taking another pinch of snuff, 'that he's

the thief.'

'I say,' returned Sampson violently, 'that he is not. What do you

mean? How dare you? Are characters to be whispered away like this?

Do you know that he's the honestest and faithfullest fellow that ever

lived, and that he has an irreproachable good name? Come in, come

in!'

These last words were not addressed to Miss Sally, though they

partook of the tone in which the indignant remonstrances that

preceded them had been uttered. They were addressed to some person

who had knocked at the office-door; and they had hardly passed the

lips of Mr Brass, when this very Kit himself looked in.

'Is the gentleman up-stairs, sir, if you please?'

Yes, Kit,' said Brass, still fired with an honest indignation, and

frowning with knotted brows upon his sister; 'Yes Kit, he is. I am glad

to see you Kit, I am rejoiced to see you. Look in again, as you come

down-stairs, Kit. That lad a robber!' cried Brass when he had

withdrawn, 'with that frank and open countenance! I'd trust him with

The Old Curiosity Shop