No, I don't quite take to him, so to
say. Now, you won't be offended? The fact of the matter is, he asked
some rather queer questions about you--or, at all events, if they
weren't exactly questions, they--they came to the same thing.'

Sidney was beginning to glare under his brows. Commonsense told him how
very unlikely it was that a respectable solicitor should compromise
himself in talk with a stranger, and that such a man as J. J. Snowdon;
yet, whether the story were true or not, it meant that Joseph was
plotting in some vile way, and thus confirmed his suspicions. He
inquired, briefly and indifferently, what Mr. Percival's insinuations
had been.

'Well, I told you I don't much care for the fellow. He didn't say as
much, mind, but he seemed to be hinting-like that, as Jane's father, I
should do well to--to keep an eye on you--ha, ha! It came to that, I
thought--though, of course, I may have been mistaken. It shows how
little he knows about you and father. I fancy he'd got it into his head
that it was _you_ set father on those plans about Jane--though _why_
I'd like to know.'

He paused. Sidney kept his eyes down, and said nothing.

'Well, there's quite enough of that; too much. Still I thought I'd tell
you, you see. It's well to know when we've got enemies behind our
backs. But see, Sidney; to speak seriously, between ourselves.' He
leaned forward in the confidential attitude. 'You say you've gone just
a bit further than friendship with our Janey. Well, I don't know a
better man, and that's the truth--but don't you think we might put this
off for a year or two? Look now, here's this lady, Miss Lant, taking up
the girl, and it's an advantage to her; you won't deny that. I
sympathise with my good old dad; I do, honestly; but I can't help
thinking that Janey, in her position, ought to see a little of the
world. There's no secrets between _us_; you know what she'll have as
well as I do. I should be a brute if I grudged it her, after all she's
suffered from my neglect. But don't you think we might leave her free
for a year or two?'

'Yes, I agree with you.'

'You do? I thought you and I could understand each other, if we only
got really talking. Look here, Sidney; I don't mind just whispering to
you. For anything I know, Percival is saying disagreeable things to the
old man; but don't you worry about that. It don't matter a scrap, you
see, so long as you and I keep friendly, eh? I'm talking very open to
you, but