well satisfied with him. The man's business instincts were unusually keen. He had, moreover, a wonderful eye for details, and very little escaped him. It soon came h

or the man's shrewdness far surpassed his own. He settled to the work with a certain grim relish,

urbability took effect before very long. They accepted him without e

entertain a house-party himself towards the end of January. He informed West of this before departing, and was slightly puzzled by a certain h

of irony: "Your faithful steward, N. V. West." He never varied this joke, and Babbacombe usually noted it with a f

arried sisters, whom he had secured to act as hostess to his party. H

condescension. She bestowed scant attention upon him during dinner, and West presented his most impenetrable demeanour

the drawing-room, but Babbacombe insisted upon this so stubbornly th

ok raised her glasses, and favo

have seen you somewhere before. You have the look of some one I

laugh, though a faint flush of annoyance rose in his face.

, indicated a chair near him t

ottesbrook took up a book, and ignored him. There was something unf

hen he had gone,

I am sure he isn't trustworthy. He is too br

acombe made c

ommended to me by a friend. I am sorry you thought it necessary to

you must ask the man to dine, for goodness' sake another time have some one else for me to talk to. I frankly admit that I have no ta

bacombe answered somewhat reluctantly. "I ha

doing there? Buyi

re was a faint inflection

accept you?" questioned Lady Cottesbrook. She never he

e said heavily.

ittle she turned her attention to other