what printers call "quotes," a line that was evidently an extract
from somebody's published works: "Bear the torch and do not falter."

Bailey inspected this photograph with disfavour. It always irritated
him. The information, conveyed to him by amused friends, that his Aunt
Lora had once described Ruth as a jewel in a dust-bin, seemed to him to
carry an offensive innuendo directed at himself and the rest of the
dwellers in the Bannister home. Also, she had called him a worm. Also,
again, his actual encounters with the lady, though few, had been
memorably unpleasant. Furthermore, he considered that she had far too
great an influence on Ruth. And, lastly, that infernal sentence about
the torch, which he found perfectly meaningless, had a habit of running
in his head like a catch-phrase, causing him the keenest annoyance.

He pursed his lips disapprovingly and averted his eyes.

"Don't sniff at Aunt Lora, Bailey," said Ruth. "I've had to speak to
you about that before. What's the matter? What has sent you flying up
here?"

"I have had a shock," said Bailey. "I have been very greatly disturbed.
I have just been speaking to Clarence Grayling."

He eyed her accusingly through his gold-rimmed glasses. She remained
tranquil.

"And what had Clarence to say?"

"A great many things."