"If there had been we should have been beaten." Mr.Hazlewood began to point out this and that miniature of his collection, bending over Thresk as he did so.

It seemed that the two collectors were quite lost in their common hobby until Robert Pettifer gave the signal.
Then Mr.Hazlewood began: "I am very glad to meet you, Mr.Thresk, for reasons quite outside these miniatures of mine." He spoke with a noticeable awkwardness, yet Henry Thresk disregarded it altogether.
"Oh ?" he said carelessly.
"Yes.

Being Richard's father I am naturally concerned in everything which affects him nearly--the trial of Stella Ballantyne for instance." Thresk bent his head down over the tray.
"Quite so," he said.

He pointed to a miniature.

"I saw that at Christie's and coveted it myself." "Did you ?" Mr.Hazlewood asked and he almost offered it as a bribe.