"Neighbors," repeated the guest, who was a very good fellow, but not the quickest in the world.
"Why, yes—from the house next door, where the fire was. You knew there had been a fire, I take it, since you had heard about my accident."
"Yes."
"Well, those ladies, as I said, were obliged to leave their own house in flames, and I brought them in here."
"Oh!"
"They seem to be very much obliged to me for what they think I did for them on that occasion, and we get on very well together."
There was a pause, during which Mr. Andrews lighted his cigar, and Mr. McKenzie appeared to be digesting the intelligence.
"All the same, it seems a little queer," he said, after a good deal of deliberation.
"Queer? I must say I don't see it."
"Well, considering how you feel about such things, I mean. I don't suppose there's any real objection, if anybody likes it. There are enough of 'em to make it proper, I've no doubt."