ombe knew not the solace of tobacco, and his son, though never
quite at ease without pipe or cigar, denied himself in this room, with
the result that he shifted frequently upon his chair and fell into many
awkward postures.

'And how does Peak impress you?' he inquired, when the subject he most
wished to converse upon had been postponed to many others. It was clear
that Martin would not himself broach it.

'Not disagreeably,' was the reply, with a look of frankness, perhaps
over-emphasised.

'What is he doing? I have only heard from him once since he came down,
and he had very little to say about himself.'

'I understand that he proposes to take the London B.A.'

'Oh, then, he never did that? Has he unbosomed himself to you about his
affairs of old time?'

'No. Such confidences are hardly called for.'

'Speaking plainly, father, you don't feel any uneasiness?'

Martin deliberated, fingering the while an engraved stone which hung
upon his watch-guard. He was at a disadvantage in this conversation.
Aware that Buckland regarded the circumstances of Peak's sojourn in the
neighbourhood with feelings allied to contempt, he could neither adopt
the tone of easy confidence natural to him on other occasions of
difference in opinion, nor express himself with the coldness which
would have obliged his son to quit the subject.

'Perhaps you had better tell me,' he replied, 'whether _you_ are really
uneasy.'

It was impossible for Buckland to answer as his mind prompted. He could
not without offence declare that no young man of brains now adopted a
clerical career with pure intentions, yet such was his sincere belief.
Made tolerant in many directions by the cultivation of his shrewdness,
he was hopelessly biassed in judgment as soon as his anti-religious
prejudice came into play--a point of strong resemblance between him and
Peak. After fidgeting for a moment, he exclaimed:

'Yes, I am; but I can't be sure that there's any cause for it.'

'Let us come to matters of fact,' said Mr. Warricombe, showing that he
was not sorry to discuss this side of the affair. 'I suppose there is
no doubt that Peak had a position till lately at the place he speaks
of?'

'No doubt whatever. I have taken pains to ascertain that. His account
of himself, so far, is strictly true.'

Martin smiled, with satisfaction he did not care to disguise.

'Have you met some acquaintance of his?'

'Well,' answered Buckland, changing his position, 'I w