第1章 Thebag-snatcher

One Saturday afternoon in a small town,Emma Carter came out of a shoe shop with some new shoes.They were cheap shoes,but Emma was very pleased with them.She was seventy-three years old and did not have much money.She began to walk home.‘A nice cup of tea,''she thought,''and then I can go for a walk in my new shoes.?’

It was a quiet town and there was nobody in the street.Suddenly,Emma heard something behind her.She did not have time to look,because just then somebody ran up behind

her,hit her on the head,and snatched''her bag out of her hands.Emma fell down on her back.Then she looked up,and saw a tall young man with long,dirty brown hair.He stood and looked down at her for a second;then he ran away with Emma''s bag under his arm.

‘Help!Help!’Emma cried.

But nobody came,and after two or three minutes Emma slowly got up and went to the nearest house.The people there were very kind.They gave Emma a cup of tea,and soon

an ambulance came and took her to hospital.

At the hospital a doctor looked at Emma''s head and back.You''re going to be OK,''he said.''Just take it easy for a day or two.Can your husband help you at home?"

''My husband died eight years ago,''said Emma.There''s only me at home.?

Well,the doctor said,''we don''t want you to feel ill and fall downstairs at home.So I think you must stay in hospital fortonight,and perhaps''tomorrow night,too.''Later,a policeman

came to the hospital and Emma told him about the bagsnatcher.

‘Did anybody see this young man?''he asked.

I don''t know,''said Emma.''But there was nobody in the street when I called for help.''

‘Oh dear,''the policeman said.‘What was in your bag?''

‘A little money -and a lottery ticket,''said Emma.I buy a ticket every Saturday.Then on Saturday evening I watch the lottery''on television.I always have the same numbers -5,12,23,24,38,41.All those numbers are important to me.I was born on 5th Decem