By Jove, the way he cackled made my heart ache! I whispered to Jenkins to run ahead and prepare the ladies. But the first thing we saw as the cage hit the bottom was a woman—and, dash it, the frump from China!
She gave a little scream and fell on Billings' neck, almost bearing him to the ground.
"Oh, Jacky, Jacky!" she sobbed.
By Jove, I almost fell myself! So that was the way the wind lay! And I had never even so much as suspected. That was why he had raved so about her beauty! Beauty! Poor old Jack! If I had been sad about him before, it was a devilish sight worse now—
Worse? Why, dash it, she kissed him!
And to see him standing there, kind of batting and rolling his eyes and looking like a girl does when she's trying a strange piece of candy out of the box—oh, it just broke me all up!
No wonder he was crazy! Why, dash it, he would have to be crazy!
He was muttering to himself.
"Remarkable!" I heard. "Singularly sensate and exhilarating! Now, I never would have thought—um!"
And then he very deliberately took her head between his hands and—kissed her. Then he looked upward thoughtfully and did it again—like a chicken drinks water—you know!