Page:Chesterton - The Club of Queer Trades.djvu/278

The Club of Queer Trades "What did you say to them? How did you persuade them?" she cried.

"We persuaded them, my dear madam," said Rupert, laughing, "by knocking them down and tying them up. But what is the matter?"

Then to our great surprise the old lady walked slowly back to her seat by the window.

"Do I understand," she said, with the air of a person about to begin knitting, "that you have knocked down Mr. Burrows and tied him up?"

"We have," said Rupert, proudly; "we have resisted their oppression and conquered it."

"Oh, thanks," answered the old lady, and sat down by the window.

A considerable pause followed.

"The road is quite clear for you, madam," said Rupert, pleasantly.

The old lady rose, cocking her black eyebrows and her silver crest at us for an instant.

"But what about Greenwood and 254