With rather an abstracted air, Lord James sank down on the chair opposite her and began fiddling with the cord of his monocle.
"Haven't seen him since yesterday," he replied, "Left him at the office of a Mr. Griffith—engineer—old friend. Gave him work immediately—something big, I take it. Asked Tom to bunk with him."
"It's so good to hear he has work already—and to stay with a friend!
You mean, live with him?"
"Yes."
"He—the friend—seems desirable?"
"Decidedly so, I should say. Engineer who first started him on his career, if I remember aright what Tom once told me of his early life."
"Oh, that is such good news! But have you seen him since—since this morning? He had that appointment with papa, you know."
"No, I regret to say I haven't; and I fear I cannot reassure you as to the outcome. You know Tom's way; and your father, I take it, is rather—It would seem that they had a disagreement before Tom went West the last time."
"Yes. He once referred to it. Some misunderstanding with regard to the payment of a railway survey. I asked papa about it last evening, and he told me that it had been made all right—that Tom would get his pay for his share in the survey."
"Little enough, in the circumstances," remarked Lord James.