‘I shall acquaint Mr. Torwood with what has passed, as soon as he is in a fit state to attend to business matters. ‘Yours faithfully, ‘PHILIP DEBENHAM. ‘Ladywell Manor.’ ‘There, I think that will satisfy the old lady,’ said Tor, as he folded and addressed his letter. ‘How things come back to one! I can remember how often my father spoke of Miss Marjory, and how much he seemed to admire her force of character and determination. I must certainly go and see her some day when I have cast off my shell; but I will wait for that first, and go _in propriâ personâ_.’ Tor had yet to learn the extent of Miss Marjory’s force of character. Two or three days later came another Whitbury letter. ‘Confound the old girl!’ thought Tor irreverently. ‘What can she want now?’ That the letter speedily explained. ‘DEAR SIR, ‘I am grateful for your prompt and courteous reply to my letter; but at the same time there is so much I wish to say to Mr. Torwood or his deputy, that I cannot feel satisfied without a personal interview. Women, as you know, are fidgety creatures, and I share this weakness. Mr. Torwood’s illness seems a serious matter, by what I gather; and I do not like waiting and suspense. There are several things I want done about the place, and I do not like to settle anything until I can see my landlord. You stand towards me in that position just now, and therefore I want to see you. You are a gentleman, which the agent is not; and I can deal with you, as I cannot possibly do with him. ‘I trust that you will humour this fancy of mine, and come over at your early convenience. I think when we meet, I can convince you that it is not a mere freak of imagination that a personal inspection is necessary. Besides which, now is the time for working. Our hard winter frosts prevent any kind of building-work during a great part of the year. ‘If you will kindly consent to come, and will name your day and train, I will see that you are met at the station; and if you will spend the night here, instead of at the hotel, you will be doing me an additional pleasure. The journey cannot be taken twice upon the same day. ‘Yours sincerely, ‘MARJORY DESCARTES. ‘Minster House, Whitbury.’ ‘I suppose I must go now,’ said Tor, half aloud. ‘Go where?’ asked Maud. ‘To Yorkshire, on some business of poor Tor’s.’ Maud put on an air of reproach. ‘You are always tearing off somewhere, Phil. Why must you go? Can’t you write?’ ‘I did try to do it by writing; but I find it won’t do.’ ‘I wish that old Tor would come back, and do his work for himself,’ cried Maud. ‘So do I,’ answered Tor, so fervently that Maud looked at him and asked: ‘Is it disagreeable business, then, Phil?’ ‘Oh no! not bad; only some business with a tenant about a house of his. But I’m shy, you know; and she’s a lady, and I know she’ll get her own way with me, to the detriment of Tor’s pocket.’