His father made no comment on his absence; his only allusion to the subject was: 'Back all right! Any news in town ?' There was, however, an unwonted suavity in his manner which made Leonard a little anxious.

He busied himself for the balance of the morning in getting together all his unpaid accounts and making a schedule of them.

The total at first amazed almost as much as it frightened him.

He feared what Stephen would say.

She had already commented unfavourably on the one amount she had seen.