"You may be sure there's something in the wind." Whatever it was, Mr Durfy kept his own counsel, and though Reginald looked up now and then and caught him scowling viciously in his direction, he made no attempt at hostilities, and rather appeared to ignore him altogether.
Even when he was giving out the "copy" he sent Reginald his by a boy, instead of, as was usually his practice, calling him up to the table to receive it.

Reginald's copy on this occasion consisted of a number of advertisements, a class of work not nearly as easy and far less interesting than the paragraphs of news which generally fell to his share.

However, he attacked them boldly, and, unattractive as they were, contrived to get some occupation from them for his mind as well as his hand.
Here, for instance, was some one who wanted "a groom, young, good- looking, and used to horses." How would that suit him?
And why need he be good-looking?
And what was the use of saying he must be used to horses?
Who ever heard of a groom that wasn't?
The man who put in that advertisement was a muff.

Here was another of a different sort: "J.S.

Come back to your afflicted mother and all shall be forgiven." Heigho! suppose "J.S." had got a mother like Mrs Cruden, what a brute he must be to cut away.