A hint to this effect led to a furious outbreak on Luke's part; he was insulted, he would leave the house and find quarters elsewhere, his sister was a narrow-minded, calumniating woman.

He was bidden to take his departure as soon as he liked, but somehow he did not do so.

Then Mrs.Poole got her husband to make private inquiries about Miss Nancarrow.

Good-natured Jim obeyed her, and had to confess that the report was tolerable enough; the girl was perhaps a little harum-scarum, no worse.
'Oh, you're always so soft when there's talk about women!' exclaimed his wife, disappointed.

'I declare you're as bad as Luke himself.