"The apple which Eve ate in the Garden of Eden was an orange and the peel has been lying about ever since."
Where was the sense in that? How could an apple be an orange. But Time and Tide, like a pair o' children going to a circus! Oh--he thought it excellent.
Then, with a pitiable sensation of failure, he turned in almost an attitude of appeal to Jill. But she was smiling. She was amused. Then there was something in it after all! It had amused her. He held out his hand, feeling a wild inclination to grip it fiercely and bless her for that smile.
"Good-bye," said he in his best and most elaborate of manners. "I'm very pleased to have made your acquaintance," and he marched, with head erect, to the door.
John followed him.
"I'll just come down with you," he said.
As soon as they were outside and the door was closed, he caught the little man's hand warmly in his.
"You're a brick," said he. "You're a brick. I'll let you in whenever you come back--you needn't be afraid."
Mr. Chesterton stopped on the stairs as they descended.
"I wouldn't have done it," he said emphatically--"if it wasn't that she was a lady as wouldn't understand the likes of me. I tell you, she's a sort of lady as I shall never come across again,--not even in my line of business,--bless her heart." He descended another step or so, then stopped once more. "See the way she smiled at that what I said. I tell you, she's got a nicer sense of understandin' than what you have."