"If you have no objection."
He read it, and gave it back to her, saying slowly, "Poor boy!"
"Father," said Aymer, "tell us what you think. You have lived among men—you must be better able to judge than we can be."
"You know Guy better than I do. Is it certain that this is the whole truth?"
"Quite certain," they all declared, with one voice.
"And what then can I tell you more than the unhappy boy has told you himself?"
They looked at one another, puzzled.
At last Clarice said,—
"You think this Tom Price is a bad companion for him—is that it?"
Mr. Egerton sat for a few moments turning over the leaves of his book absently; at last he said,—