No man can explain why David held Jonathan in such high esteem.

Between men it would appear that admiration is no part of friendship.

And such as have the patience to follow the lives of the two Englishmen thus brought together by a series of chances will perhaps be able to discover in this record of a great scheme the reason why Jack Meredith, the brilliant, the gifted, should bestow upon Guy Oscard such a wealth of love and esteem as he never received in return.
During the silence Jack was apparently meditating over the debt of confidence which he still owed to his companion; for he spoke first, and spoke seriously, about himself, which was somewhat against his habit.
"I daresay you have heard," he said, "that I had a--a disagreement with my father." "Yes.

Heard something about it," replied Oscard, in a tone which seemed to imply that the "something" was quite sufficient for his requirements.
"It was about my engagement," Jack went on deliberately.

"I do not know how it was, but they did not hit it off together.