Thereafter he sought and found chances of serving the girl.
One day he came on her tugging a heavy basket of washing along the passage. It was clear that she had been too proud to ask another maid for help, preferring to trust her own magnificent physique to accomplish the task alone.
"Let me, Miss," he said.
"You take yon end," she answered. "I'll take this. Then atween us like."
"Ah," said Ernie, gathering courage. "I see what it is. You think you're the only strong one." Deliberately and without an effort he swung the basket on to his shoulder and bore it jauntily to its destination.
Then he slid it down and faced the girl.
"Now then!" he cried.
She dropped her eyelids, and he saw the length and curl of her lashes.
"You are strong," she said, with a dainty irony he found as delightful as it was surprising. "I allow you'll be purty nigh half as strong as I be."
He pointed an accusing finger at her.