Mr. Valley’s face crumpled into woeful disorder, as if he had received a blow. He turned up his shirtsleeves and resumed his weeding, without a word.

Wolf experienced extreme discomfort.

“You think I’m making a mistake, Valley?” he said.

There was no answer.

“You think the less I see of Urquhart the better, Valley?”

Still there was no answer.

“Don’t work at that job too long, Valley, and forget about the service!”

The man gave him an extraordinary sideways glance without lifting his head or ceasing his work. But not a word did he utter.