 Godwin
had reasonably feared that his obligations to Sir Job Whitelaw must become
known; impossible for such a matter to be kept secret; all who took any interest
in the young man had long been privately acquainted with the facts of his
position. Now that discussion was rife, it would have been prudent in the Misses
Lumb to divulge as much of the truth at they knew, but (in accordance with the
law of natural perversity) they maintained a provoking silence. Hence whispers
and suspicious questions, all wide of the mark. No one had as yet heard of
Andrew Peak, and it seemed but too likely that Lady Whitelaw, for some good
reason, had declined to discharge the expenses of Godwin's last year at the
College.
    Mr. Moxey himself felt that an explanation was desirable, but he listened
with his usual friendly air to Godwin's account of the matter - which of course
included no mention of Lady Whitelaw.
    »Have you friends in London?« he inquired - like everyone else.
    »No. Except that your nephew was so kind as to ask me to call on him, if
ever I happened to be there.«
    There passed over Mr. Moxey's countenance a curious shadow. Godwin noticed
it, and at once concluded that the manufacturer condemned Christian for undue
advances to one below his own station. The result of this surmise was of course
a sudden coldness on Godwin's part, increased when he found that Mr. Moxey
turned to another subject, without a word about his nephew.
    In less than ten minutes he offered to take leave, and no one urged him to
stay longer. Mr. Moxey made sober expression of good wishes, and hoped he might
hear that the removal to London had proved advantageous. This word sufficed to
convert Godwin's irritation into wrath; he said an abrupt good-evening, raised
his hat as awkwardly as usual, and stalked away.
    A few paces from the garden gate, he encountered Miss Janet Moxey, just
coming home from walk or visit. Another grab at his hat, and he would have
passed without a word, but the girl stopped him.
    »We hear that you are going to London, Mr. Peak.«
    »Yes, I am, Miss Moxey.«
    She examined his face, and seemed to hesitate.
    »Perhaps you have just been to say good-bye to father?«
    »Yes.«
    Janet paused, looked away, again turned her eyes upon him.
    »You have friends there, I hope?« she ventured.
    »No, I have
