— XIV —THE LETTER
Mr. Thurston was not in the best of tempers. He had not been of late. It was the opinion of those with whom he was brought in contact that marriage had not improved him. Certain practices which, aforetime, used to mark his behaviour only on very rare occasions had now become unfortunately common. Almost habitually he drank too much. For one so young, and, in particular, for one of his habit of body, he took insufficient exercise. It was singular in what a short space of time a change for the worse had taken place, not only in his appearance, but in his manner and general bearing.
“I don’t know what’s come to him,” declared Mr. Barnes, his valet. “Used to be as free-handed, pleasant-spoken a gentleman as I ever came across; you couldn’t have wanted to have had anyone nic
