“Gone!” exclaimed both gentlemen. “Where?”
“Canada,” said the woman. “She went off this morning.”
Mr. Kidd leaned up against the wall for support; Mr. Brown stood open-mouthed and voiceless.
“It was a surprise to me,” said the woman, “but she told me this morning she's been getting ready on the quiet for the last fortnight. Good spirits she was in, too; laughing like anything.”
“Laughing!” repeated Mr. Kidd, in a terrible voice.
The woman nodded. “And when I spoke about it and reminded 'er that she 'ad only just lost 'er pore husband, I thought she would ha' burst,” she said, severely. “She sat down on that stair and laughed till the tears ran dowwn 'er face like water.”
Mr. Brown turned a bewildered face upon his partner. “Laughing!” he said, slowly. “Wot 'ad she got to laugh at?”
“Two born-fools,” replied Mr. Kidd.