"Miss Atherton seems a pleasant girl, but it is a pity Percy is not older and more of a companion." "Oh, I shall enjoy myself," said Scarfe.
"You don't seem very fond of that Mr Jeffreys." "No, I draw the line somewhere, mother," said the son.
"What do you mean?
Is there anything discreditable about him?
He looks common and stupid, to be sure.

Mrs Rimbolt tells me Percy is greatly taken up with him." "They appear to have curious ideas about the kind of companion they choose for their boy," said Scarfe.

"But it's no business of ours.
Good-night, mother." And he went, leaving Mrs Scarfe decidedly mystified.
Jeffreys and Scarfe occasionally met during the next few days.

Jeffreys was rather relieved to find that his late schoolfellow seemed by no means anxious to recall an old acquaintance or to refer to Bolsover.

He could even forgive him for falling into the usual mode of treating the librarian as an inferior.