a thick black beard and mustache, at a time when shaving was the rule,
and beards the rare exception, in America. As to the upper part of the
face, it was irradiated by a pair of wild, glittering brown eyes, the
expression of which suggested to me that there was something not quite
right with the man's mental balance. A perfectly sane person in all his
sayings and doings, so far as I could see, there was still something in
those wild brown eyes which suggested to me that, under exceptionally
trying circumstances, he might surprise his oldest friends by acting in
some exceptionally violent or foolish way. "A little cracked"--that in
the popular phrase was my impression of the stranger who now made his
appearance in the supper-room.

Mr. Meadowcroft the elder, having not spoken one word thus far, himself
introduced the newcomer to me, with a side-glance at his sons, which
had something like defiance in it--a glance which, as I was sorry to
notice, was returned with the defiance on their side by the two young
men.

"Philip Lefrank, this is my overlooker, Mr. Jago," said the old man,
formally presenting us. "John Jago, this is my young relative by
marriage, Mr. Lefrank. He is not well; he has come over the ocean for
rest, and change of scene. Mr. Jago is an American, Philip. I hope you
have no prejudice against Americans. Make acquaintance with Mr. Jago.
Sit together." He cast another dark look at his sons; and the sons
again returned it. They pointedly drew back from John Jago as he
approached the empty chair next to me and moved round to the opposite
side of the table. It was plain that the man with the beard stood high
in the father's favor, and that he was cordially disliked for that or
for some other reason by the sons.