"
Doyle, grinning broadly, led his horse round to the yard. He did not
believe that Meldon was ever busy. Like most people he failed to
appreciate the real greatness of the clergyman.
Meldon hurried into the house and flung open the door of the study.
Major Kent looked up from his papers with a weary smile.
"Couldn't you and Doyle settle that business of the car cushions
between you? I shall never get these accounts done if I'm interrupted
every minute."
"We could have settled it," said Meldon. "In fact we have settled it,
but a question of vastly greater importance has arisen. We are
threatened with something like an actual catastrophe."
"If it's the kind of catastrophe which involves an hour or so of solid
talk, J. J., don't you think you could manage to put it off for a
little? I shall be quite ready to go into it at any length you like
this evening after dinner."
"Major," said Meldon, "if an earthquake came--the kind of earthquake
which knocks down houses--and if thunderbolts were falling red-hot out
of the sky, and if a large tidal wave was rushing up across the lawn,
and if a moving bog was desolating your kitchen garden and engulfing
your polo ponies, would you or would you not sit calmly there and go on
with your accounts?"
"If all those things were happening I'd move, of course.
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