Page:Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes - The Lodger.djvu/187

Rh went on the young fellow apologetically. "But, there now, I have upset her. I am sorry!"

"It don’t matter!" she exclaimed, throwing the apron off her face, but the tears were still streaming from her eyes as she sobbed and laughed by turns. "Don’t matter one little bit, Joe! ’Twas stupid of me to be so taken aback. But, there, that murder that’s happened close by, it’s just upset me—upset me altogether to-day."

"Enough to upset anyone—that was," acknowledged the young man ruefully. "I’ve only come in for a minute, like. I haven’t no right to come when I’m on duty like this"

Joe Chandler was looking longingly at what remains of the meal were still on the table.

"You can take a minute just to have a bite and a sup," said Bunting hospitably; "and then you can tell us any news there is, Joe. We’re right in the middle of everything now, ain’t we?" He spoke with evident enjoyment, almost pride, in the gruesome fact.

Joe nodded. Already his mouth was full of bread-and-butter. He waited a moment, and then: "Well I have got one piece of news—not that I suppose it’ll interest you very much."

They both looked at him—Mrs. Bunting suddenly calm, though her breast still heaved from time to time.

"Our Boss has resigned!" said Joe Chandler slowly, impressively.

"No! Not the Commissioner o’ Police?" exclaimed Bunting.

"Yes, he has. He just can’t bear what’s said about us any longer—and I don’t wonder! He done his best,