Jane's just sitting on the fence, in fact, and waiting to see if she can't
shake him off me. And if I'm turned down, then you'll be turned down. 'Tis
rather amusing in a way."

"It may be, but I ain't much one for a joke," he confessed, and then went
on. "Though too busy for love-making and all that, yet I've got my pride,
Mrs. Bascombe, and I shouldn't like to be taken as a last resort--amusing
though it might be."

"No man would," she answered. "And I hope I'm wrong. She may be turning to
you for your qualities. She may be coming for affection after all, knowing
you'd prove a very fine husband."

"I would," declared Mr. Ball. "I can tell you, without self-conceit or any
such thing, that where I loved I'd stick, and the woman as shared my life
would share my all. There's a lot in me only hid because nothing have yet
happened to draw it out. I'm busy and I'm wishful to do my little bit of
work in the world for other people; but if I was married, my home would be
a find thought to me, and my wife would be first always and her comfort
and happiness a lot more to me than my own. 'My home' I call it, but it
have long been borne in upon me that a home is a hollow word with nought
in it but an aunt such as Mary Ball. It may be like blowing my own
trumpet, and I wouldn't say it save in an understanding ear; but I do
think Jane Warner would find I was good enough."

"She certainly would," admitted Nelly; and deep in her heart, such was her
powers of perspection, she couldn't help contrasting Martin's simple
nature and open praise of himself with John Warner's cleverer speechifying
and far more downy and secret mind.