"I don't rightly understand him, sir," Ernie answered.
"Don't you?" said Mr. Pigott. "I do." He dropped his voice. "He's waiting the Second Coming, I'm sure of it."
When Ernie presented himself at the Manor, Mr. Trupp was out. Ernie thought Mrs. Trupp would see him. The smart maid thought not. Ernie, however, proved right.
Mrs. Trupp was sitting in the long drawing-room, with her daughter, and greeted him with pleasure.
"Ernie!" cried Mrs. Trupp. "This is a sight for sair e'en. What a man you've become!"
"Was Alfred decent to you?" blurted Bess.
Mrs. Trupp shot a warning glance at her impetuous daughter.
"And have you seen the new Mrs. Pigott?" she asked.
"She's top-hole," cried Bess. "He never stops talking about her. Really after that other old thing always sitting on his head——"
Then Mr. Trupp entered, smiling, and cocking his face to sum up his visitor through his pince-nez.