Jolly was dressed in striped trousers and a white shirt and wore a green baize apron.
“Shall I put the eggs on, sir?”
“Jolly,” said Rollison, “do we know a man named Loman?”
After a moment’s reflection, Jolly answered: “No, sir. Should we?”
“I suspect that we are going to find out. Yes, put on the eggs, and I’ll tell you about the call while I have breakfast. Have you had yours?”
“Oh, yes, sir.”
“Then have some coffee while I eat,” said Rollison.
Between now and breakfast being served there would be no time to dress, so he went to a wall which was at angles with the trophy one and took down a World Gazetteer, then thumbed the pages until he found Tucson, pronounced, it was said, Teu-sonn. It was a city of some three hundred and fifty thousand people, with mountains to the north and south, the east and west. There the sun shone on most days of the year and it could become much too hot but seldom too cold. Near it were many mines, mostly producing copper, and the final word was : ‘Tucson is one of the five quickest growing cities in the United States judged on population.’
“Humm,” Rollison said to himself.
Immediately, Jolly appeared with a tray which he placed on a table in a small, raised dining-alcove at one end of this large room. Rollison set to, Jolly drank coffee, Rollison told the story briefly, and Jolly remarked :
“I remember Mr. Selly, sir.”
“You do?” Rollison was intrigued.
“He came one day when you were out,” Jolly informed him, “and asked me what a Toff was.”
“Oh,” said Rollison, still further intrigued. “What did you tell him?”
“That a toff is a toff, sir.”
“I am sure that conveyed everything he needed to know,” Rollison said drily.
“Of course I elaborated somewhat,” went on Jolly urbanely, “but basically it is a difficult term to define, especially to this generation.” When Rollison speared a piece of bacon, obviously expecting him to go on, Jolly continued: “I told him that a toff was a gentleman of high social standing who exerted himself to do great good among the less fortunate members of society.”