You and I have known each other too many years to keep up this quarrel; I am getting rather sick of it myself." St.George shrugged his shoulders, placed the gun carefully in the rack by the door, and maintained an attentive attitude.

He would either fight or make peace, but he must first learn the conditions.

In the meantime he would hold his peace.
Rutter strode past him to the fireplace, opened his riding-jacket, laid his whip on the mantel, and with his hands deep in his breeches pockets faced the room and his host, who had again taken his place by the table.
"The fact is, St.George, I have been greatly disturbed of late by reports which have reached me about my son.

He is with you, I presume ?" St.George nodded.
Rutter waited for a verbal reply, and receiving none, forged on: "Very greatly disturbed; so much so that I have made an especial trip from Moorlands to call upon you and ascertain their truth." Again St.George nodded, the smile--one of extreme civility now--still on his face.

Then he added, flicking some stray grains of tobacco from his sleeve with his fingers: "That was very good of you, Talbot--but go on--I'm listening." The colonel's eyes kindled.