The strong personal resemblance, the obvious
weakness of the boy's face, and, above all, that sense of having the
upper hand, which makes brave men out of cowards, gave him confidence. It
seemed that he had only to play the cards thrust into his hand.
"I knew," he pursued, "Jem Agar very well. He was a peculiar man: very
quiet, very reserved, and just the man to make a difficult position
rather more difficult."
Arthur's intelligence was not keen enough to follow the drift of this
remark.
"Yes," he said gently.
"He hinted to me once or twice," went on Seymour Michael, "that things
were not very harmonious at home."
"I was not aware of it," answered Arthur, whose innate gentlemanliness
told him that this should be held sacred ground.
The General shifted his position.
"He was a first-rate soldier," he said warmly.
It was obvious to both that they were not getting on. Something
seemed to hold them both back, paralysing the _savoir-faire_ which
both had acquired in their intercourse with the world.
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