Page:Herbert Jenkins - Return of Alfred.djvu/341



ELL, Willis, you see you were wrong and I was right."

Willis had just thrown open the hall- door of The Grange with that smile he seemed to keep specially for Smith.

"Yes, sir," said Willis, as he stood aside to allow Smith to enter. "It's all very wonderful, sir. You'll be going away now, I suppose, Mr. Al sir," he cor- rected himself. Smith noted the mournful inflection of his voice.

"Yes, Willis, I'm sorry to say. Is Miss Mar- jorie in?"

"Yes, sir," and the old man's voice was noticeably husky. "She's in the morning-room, sir."

"I shall always regard you as my good Samaritan," said Smith, smiling in spite of himself at the recollection of their first meeting.

"Thank you, sir," said Willis, fumbling at the rails of his coat, a moment later producing a large coloured handkerchief, with which he proceeded to blow his nose and surreptitiously mop his eyes.

"It'll be like losing Mr. Alfred all over again, sir," he mumbled through the folds of the handkerchief, "and, and " He trailed off into something between a sniff and a sob.

"Cheer up, Willis," said Smith, touched by the old 337