"I may give him, at any rate, my assurance that I believe your word."

"If you do believe it, you can do so."

"But you repeat your assertion that you saw nothing of Mountjoy just
before his disappearance?"

"This is an amount of cross-questioning which I do not take in good
part, and to which I will not submit." Here Scarborough affected to
laugh loudly. "I know nothing of your brother, and care almost as
little. He has professed to admire a young lady to whom I am not
indifferent, and has, I believe, expressed a wish to make her his wife.
He is also her cousin, and the lady in question has, no doubt, been much
interested about him. It is natural that she should be so."

"Quite natural--seeing that she has been engaged to him for twelve
months."

"Of that I know nothing. But my interest about your brother has been
because of her. You can explain all this about your brother if you
please, or can let it alone. But for myself, I decline to answer any
more questions. If Prodgers thinks that he can arrest me, let him come
and try."

"The idea of your flying into a passion because I have endeavored to
explain it all to you! At any rate I have your absolute denial, and that
will enable me to deal both with my father and Prodgers." To this Harry
made no answer, and the two young men walked back to Tretton together
without many more words between them.