"
"Are you talking about my uncle?" inquired Miss Drewitt, with ominous
calm.
"They were his own words," said the other.
Miss Drewitt, feeling herself baffled, sat for some time wondering how to
find fault politely with the young man before her. Her mind was full of
subject-matter, but the politeness easily eluded her. She threw out
after a time the suggestion that his presence at the bedside of sick
people was not likely to add to their comfort.
Captain Bowers entered before the aggrieved Mr. Tredgold could think of a
fitting reply, and after a hasty greeting insisted upon his staying for a
cup of tea. By a glance in the visitor's direction and a faint smile
Miss Drewitt was understood to endorse the invitation.
The captain's satisfaction at finding them together was complete, but a
little misunderstanding was caused all round, when Mr. Tasker came in
with the tea, by the series of nods and blinks by which the captain
strove to call his niece's attention to various facial and other
differences between his servant and their visitor. Mr. Tredgold, after
standing it for some time, created a little consternation by inquiring
whether he had got a smut on his nose.
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