e're enemies!"

"You mean to say," said Scarfe, with a snarl, "you're going to throw me
up for the sake of a--"

"Don't say a word about Jeff!" said Percy, white-hot, and springing to
his feet; "if you do I'll have you pitched neck and crop into the
street! Hook it! No one asked you here, and you're not wanted!"

"I came to see your mother," said Scarfe. "I can't congratulate you,
Percy, on your hospitality, but I can hope you'll be better next time I
come."

Percy went out after him, and called down the staircase to Walker,
"Walker, give Mr Scarfe a glass of wine and some grub before he goes."

The taunt about hospitality had stung him, and this was how he relieved
his conscience on that point.

Scarfe was not the only visitor Percy had. The evening before the
travellers were expected home Walker announced that a gentleman had
called inquiring for Mr Rimbolt, but hearing he was from home, desired
to speak with his son. Percy, ready to clutch at any straw of hope, and
jumping at once to the conclusion that the only business on which any
one could possibly call at the house was about Jeffreys, told Walker to
show the gentleman up.

He was a dark, handsome man, with a few streaks of grey in his hair, and
a keen, cold look in his eye which Percy mistrusted.

"We're old friends, I fancy," said he, nodding to the boy as he entered.
"At least, I fancy I saw you sixteen or seventeen years ago."

"I must have been jolly young then," said Percy.

"You were--about a week. Your father and I were college friends. I
gave him up as a deserter when he married, and might have cut his
acquaintance altogether, only as he happened to marry my sister, I was
bound to keep up appearances and come and inspect my nephew when he made
his appearance."

"You're my Uncle Halgrove, then? I thought you were dead."

"I sympathise keenly with your disappointment. I am alive and well, and
hoped to find my brother-in-law at home."

"They'll be back to-morrow," said Percy.

"Have you dined, my boy?"

"No, not yet."

"That's well; they can lay for two. I'll sleep here to-night."

Percy scrutinised his uncle critically.

"Look here, uncle," he said, rather nervously, "it may be all right, you
know, and I'd be awfully sorry not to be civil. But I never saw you
before, and didn't know you were alive. So I think you'd better perhaps
stay at your hotel to-night and come to-morrow, when they all come home.
Do you mind?"

"Mi