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Dodger flashed a grin "Not bad We’ll an’s lads yet"

"No, thank you This is a one-night perforaze to Swindler "By the by, Frannie is convinced that Sykes iven Frannie his son to take care of"

"The hell you say"

"We were keeping him at my residence, but the boy ran off His nah God knohy When this is over, you should try to find hi to her"

"Find hiain e’re done here"

Swindler grabbed Sterling’s borrowed jacket and hauled him back away from the others He lowered his face until it was inches fro’s "She loves you"

"Yes, well, that’s her misfortune As I recall you told her that I wouldn’t ood care of her and do all in your power to see that she’s happy" He shouldered his way past Swindler, taking juvenile satisfaction in alround He strode out of the alley before any of the others could react

He’d just given histhat Frannie o fairly easily

Frannie’s head was pounding, the light hurt her eyes She recognized the canopy She was in Sterling’s bed Why did she ache so badly?

"She’s awake," she heard a soft voice say; then Catherine was leaning over her "Hello, how are you feeling?"

"Like an eggshell that’s been cracked"

"Do you reht a lamp nearer and looked into her eyes She tried to turn away but he brought her gaze back to his by cla her chin "Hold still and answerfor…Ji at the orphanage?"

"No, ere here"

"Where’s here?"

"Don’t you knohere we are?"

He grinned "I do, but you took a blow to the head and I want to ’s Where is he?"

Bill cleared his throat and set the lamp on the table "You’ve been asleep for almost twenty-four hours I’d like for you to try to eat some warm broth Catherine, will you see to that?"

"Yes, of course" She headed out of the roo?"

Bill sat on the edge of the bed "Do you reripped Bill’s hand that her head almost split in two "Is he dead? Oh, ht" He squeezed her hand and set some pillows behind her and eased her back "He’s fine You were attacked Do you remember that?"