Jarvis received this person with visible reluctance, bade him be seated, and sat down himself, before he opened the conversation with a tentative, “Well!” rather impatiently uttered.
“I arrived this afternoon, Mr. Jarvis, and quite fortunately fell in at once with the person in question,” the newcomer said.
“Yes,” said Jarvis dryly.
“As I understand my commission,” pursued Mr. Todd, “I am to inform myself as to the person’s past, his present occupation and habits, and——”
Jarvis made an impatient gesture of assent.
“I want to know all about him,” he said. “It is important that I should be informed as to whether he is fitted for a position of trust.”
The other man nodded.
“I understand,” he said.
“I want to know,” pursued Jarvis in a harsh voice, “if the man is truthful, honest, temperate. If, in short, he is the man to be implicitly trusted with—interests of the highest value and importance.”