Sentence:  No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very <WSD>strict</WSD>&thinsp;; he had often threatened any one of his "employés" with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous.