"It is quite air-tight, I think," he said with some satisfaction, as he smoothed his hair with his hand.
"Oh, quite," said Mrs. Goddard. "It was so very good of you."
"Not a bit of it," returned the squire cheerily. "A landlord's chief pre-occupation ought to be the comfort of his tenants and his next thought should be to keep his houses in repair. I never owned any houses before, so I have determined to start with good principles."
"I am sure you succeed. You walked down?"
"Always walk, in any weather. It is much less trouble and much cheaper.
Besides, I like it."
"The best of all reasons. Then you will not have any tea? I almost wish you would, because I want some myself."
"Oh of course—in that case I shall be delighted. Shall I ring?"
He rang and Martha brought the tea. Some time was consumed in the preparations which Mr. Juxon watched with interest as though he had never seen tea made before. Everything that Mrs. Goddard did interested him.
"I do not know why it is," she said at last, "but weather like this is delightful when one is safe at home. I suppose it is the contrast—"
"Yes indeed. It is like the watch below in dirty-weather."