She was unaware of his sarcasm. "So I 'ave," she said. "I'll tell 'im that when 'e comes back!"
"Do you always read post-cards, Lizzie?" he asked.
"Of course I do," she answered. "So does everybody. You 'urry on now, an' I'll 'ave your dinner up before you finish dryin' your fyce!" She contemplated him for a moment. "You got nice 'air," she said, "only it wants brushin'. An' cuttin', too!"
Then she disappeared down the stairs leading to the basement.
"That's a very rum sort of a woman," John murmured to himself as he proceeded to his room.
THE SECOND CHAPTER
I
He had gone to bed before the Creams returned from their round of the music-halls, but in the morning, when Lizzie had removed the remnants of his breakfast, John heard a tap on the door of the sitting-room, and on opening it, found a small, wistful-looking man, with a smiling face, standing outside.
"Good-morning," said the stranger, holding his hand out. "I'm Cream from the ground-floor!"
"Oh, yes," John answered, shaking hands with him. "Come in, won't you!"