“He was ill and unfit for hard work.”
“Was that the only difficulty?”
“I don't see what you mean,” said Festing, with some embarrassment.
“Then I'll be frank. In what kind of company did you find the lad? You see, I know something about him.”
“If you insist, he'd got into bad hands.”
“That was what I suspected, and I think Mrs. Dalton knows. George was not very steady when he was at home and got into some trouble before he left the office of a civil engineer. In fact, this was why he went to Canada.”
“But I don't see what it has to do with me.”
“I wonder whether you are as dull as you pretend. George is Mrs. Dalton's only son; although he had faults she and Helen are very fond of him. Now it would have been something if you had merely helped him out of a difficulty, but you did much more. You gave him his chance of making up for past follies. He has been steady ever since, and I understand is now getting on very well. It looks as if you had used some moral influence.”
“I didn't try,” said Festing dryly, “I gave him his job and told him I'd have him fired if he shirked.”
“You didn't consciously try, but it's possible to influence people without knowing. However, as Mrs. Dalton has too much tact to overwhelm you by her gratitude, you needn't be afraid of going to the Scar with me, although you seem to hesitate about meeting Helen.”