Somebody was watching 'em . however ; a girl , with a ragged shawl over her head , stood at the mouth of an alley close by , waiting for a chance to grab something . I 'd seen her there when I went by before , and mistrusted she was up to some mischief ; as I turned the corner , she put out her hand and cribbed an apple . She saw me the minute she did it , but neither dropped it nor ran , only stood stock still with the apple in her hand till I came up . '' ` This wo n't do , my girl , ' said I. I never could be harsh with 'em , poor things ! She laid it back and looked up at me with a miserable sort of a smile , that made me put my hand in my pocket to fish for a ninepence before she spoke . '' ' I know it wo n't , ' she says . ' I did n't want to do it , it 's so mean , but I 'm awful hungry , sir . ' '' ` Better run home and get your supper , then . ' '' ` I 've got no home . ' '' ` Where do you live ? ' '' ` In the street . ' '' ` Where do you sleep ? ' '' ` Anywhere ; last night in the lock-up , and I thought I 'd get in there again , if I did that when you saw me . I like to go there , it 's warm and safe . ' '' ` If I do n't take you there , what will you do ? ' '' ` Do n't know . I could go over there and dance again as I used to , but being sick has made me ugly , so they wo n't have me , and no one else will take me because I have been there once . ' `` I looked where she pointed , and thanked the Lord that they would n't take her . It was one of those low theatres that do so much damage to the like of her ; there was a gambling place one side of it , an eating saloon the other .
I was new to the work then , but though I 'd heard about hunger and homelessness often enough , I 'd never had this sort of thing , nor XXXXX that look on a girl 's face .
cribbed get know live mistrusted said saw seen stood want