I think it was naughty of me to be born.

Can you help being born ?" Tommy would have liked to tell her about Reddy, but forbore, because he still believed that he had acted criminally in that affair, and so for the time being the inquisition ended.

But though he had already discovered all that Grizel knew about her mother and nearly all that curious Thrums ever ferreted out, he returned to the subject at the next meeting in the Den.
"Where does the Painted Lady get her money ?" "Oh," said Grizel, "that is easy.

She just goes into that house called the bank, and asks for some, and they give her as much as she likes." "Ay, I've heard that, but--" The remainder of the question was never uttered.

Instead, "Hod ahint a tree!" cried Tommy, hastily, and he got behind one himself; but he was too late; Elspeth was upon them; she had caught them together at last.
Tommy showed great cunning.