She's had a dreadful day, pore gal." "She has indeed," said Paul.
He threw himself into a chair, dead beat, at the end of emotional strain, and remained talking with the old man of he scarce knew what.
But these two--Jane and the old man--were linked to him by imperishable ties, and he could not leave them yet awhile in the house of death.
Barney Bill stirred the fire, which blazed up, making the perky animals on the hearth cast faint and fantastic shadows.
"It's funny how he loved those darned little beasts, isn't it now?
I remember of him telling me as how they transported him into magic something--or the other--medi--he had a word for it--I dunno--" "Mediaeval ?" "That's it, sonny.

Mediaeval forests.

It means back of old times, don't it?
King Arthur and his Round Table--I done a bit of reading, yer know." The old man took out pouch and pipe.

"That's what drew us together, sonny, our taste for literature.

Remember ?" "Can I ever forget ?" said Paul.
"Well, he was like that too.