From that day he was
nothing but an expense and an anxiety to his father, until--now a couple of
years ago--he announced his establishment in a prosperous business in
London, of which Mr. Daffy knew nothing more than that it was connected
with colonial enterprise. Since that date Charles Edward had made no report
of himself, and his father had ceased to write letters which received no
reply.
Presently, Mr. Lott moved so as to come nearer to his travelling companion,
and said in a muttering, shamefaced way--
'Have you heard any talk about my daughter lately?'
Mr. Daffy showed embarrassment.
'Well, Mr. Lott, I'm sorry to say I _have_ heard something--'
'Who from?'
'Well--it was a friend of mine--perhaps I won't mention the name--who came
and told me something--something that quite upset me. That's what I'm going
to town about, Mr. Lott. I'm--well, the fact is, I was going to call upon
Mr. Bowles.'
'Oh, you were!' exclaimed the timber-merchant, with gruffness, which
referred not to his friend but to his son-in-law. 'I don't particularly
want to see _him_, but I had thought of seeing my daughter. You wouldn't
mind saying whether it was John Roper--?'
'Yes, it was.
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