He rose from the window-seat and approached the table.

"Sisily must be your first consideration," he said, looking at Robert Turold.
"This has nothing to do with you, Charles," interposed Austin hastily.
"I think it has," said his son.

"You told me nothing about this, you know." "I was not aware of it myself," replied his father.
"Now that I know, I shall have nothing further to do with this," continued the young man.

"I'm not going to help you wrong Sisily." "I hardly expected such lofty moral sentiments from you," said Austin, with a dark glance.
His son flushed as though there was a hidden sting behind the jibe.

He appeared to be about to say something more, but checked himself, and went back to his seat by the window.
"Is there no way of keeping this matter quiet, Robert ?" said his sister imploringly.
"I see none," was the rejoinder.