
Editha is a shy, book‑loving girl who spends most of her days tucked away in her father’s library, devouring stories and newspaper reports. When she discovers articles about burglars, her imagination is stirred: she feels a mix of fear, sympathy, and curiosity about the people who steal. Unable to shake the questions, she confronts her father at breakfast, asking earnestly whether any burglars could be “good” people.
Her father’s firm answer that burglars are generally “a bad lot” only deepens Editha’s puzzlement. She begins to wonder whether a lack of education or opportunity might have led them down that path, recalling a conversation about disadvantaged children. Determined to understand, she decides to act on her new theory, setting the stage for a gentle adventure that will test her compassion and cleverness.
As the story unfolds, listeners will follow Editha’s quiet bravery as she takes her first steps toward helping someone society has dismissed, discovering that even the smallest voice can make a difference.
Language
en
Duration
~31 minutes (30K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2018-03-07
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1849–1924
Best known for turning childhood into a place of wonder, feeling, and quiet transformation, this English-born novelist wrote stories that have charmed readers for generations. Her most beloved books, including The Secret Garden and A Little Princess, mix hardship with hope in a way that still feels fresh.
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