wish you'd found a pleasanter place. With
the winter coming on, you see--'

Sidney broke in with splenetic perversity.

'I don't know that I shall pass the winter here. My arrangements are
all temporary--all of them.'

After glancing at him the other crossed his legs and seemed to dispose
himself for a stay of some duration.

'You didn't turn up the other night--in Hanover Street.'

'No.'

'I was there. We talked about you. My father has a notion you haven't
been quite well lately. I dare say you're worrying a little, eh?'

Sidney remained standing by the fireplace, turned so that his face was
in shadow.

'Worry? Oh, I don't know,' he replied, idly.

'Well, _I'm_ worried a good deal, Sidney, and that's the fact.'

'What about?'

'All sorts of things. I've meant to have a long talk with you; but then
I don't quite know how to begin. Well, see, it's chiefly about Jane.'

Sidney neither moved nor spoke.

'After all, Sidney,' resumed the other, softening his voice, 'I _am_
her father, you see. A precious bad one I've been, that there's no
denying, and dash it if I don't sometimes feel ashamed of myself. I do
when she speaks to me in that pleasant way she has--you know what I
mean. For all that, I am her father, and I think it's only right I
should do my best to make her happy. You agree with that, I know.'

'Certainly I do.'

'You won't take it ill if I ask whether--in fact, whether you've ever
asked her--you know what I mean.'

'I have not,' Sidney replied, in a clear, unmoved tone, changing his
position at the same time so as to look his interlocutor in the face.

Joseph seemed relieved.

'Still,' he continued, 'you've given her to understand--eh? I suppose
there's no secret about that?'

'I've often spoken to her very intimately, but I have used no words
such as you are thinking of. It's quite true that my way of behaving
has meant more than ordinary friendship.'

'Yes, yes; you're not offended at me bringing this subject up, old man?
You see, I'm her father, after all, and I think we ought to understand
each other.'

'You are quite right.'

'Well, now, see.' He fidgeted a little. 'Has my father ever told you
that his friend the lawyer, Percival, altogether went against that way
of bringing up Jane?'

'Yes, I know that.'

'You do?' Joseph paused before proceeding. 'To tell you the truth, I
don't much care about Percival. I had a talk with him, you know, when
my business was being settled.