It was necessary for him to be about the place for a month or two, he told himself, to keep an eye upon Belassis, and to see Maud over the difficulty of her majority. When that matter was finally settled, he could feel at liberty to do as he thought best. It was much to be hoped that Phil would by that time have recovered, and could appear to claim his own. Until he did so, it was evident that frequent visits would be necessary, just to see that the uncle kept his place, and his fingers out of other people’s pies. Maud would be twenty-four in six weeks’ time, and would be called upon to make her decision as to her future. True, the property could not be divided until a few months more had passed; but the question as to the marriage must then be practically settled. Tor had few serious apprehensions that she really would marry her cousin; yet he could not feel altogether easy in his mind. When a good opportunity presented itself, he opened the subject to Mrs. Lorraine. He had an idea that the quiet little widow could give him information upon a good many subjects, if he could induce her to speak out. It was a lovely evening, early in June. Tor had been too busy looking after the farm-work to come in to dinner. When he strolled into the drawing-room, about nine o’clock, he found Aunt Olive there alone, sitting still in the soft twilight, her eyes fixed dreamily upon the saffron glow in the western sky. ‘Dear boy, have you had something to eat?’ she exclaimed, as he appeared. ‘It cannot be good for you to be so irregular with your meals.’ Tor laughed in his pleasant fashion. ‘My dear aunt, I have done excellently for myself, and my digestion has learnt to accommodate itself to circumstances, as a good traveller’s should. What glorious weather we are having! Where is Maud?’ ‘Gone for a stroll with Lewis. He dined here to-night. She did not know you would be in, or I am sure she would have stayed.’ ‘Lewis comes here pretty often, does he not?’ ‘Yes—rather. You do not object; do you, Philip?’ ‘I? Oh no. Why should I? He’s not a bad fellow, so far as I know.’ Aunt Olive drew her chair a little closer, and looked as if she had something on her mind. ‘I thought I might venture to make him welcome to your house, dear Philip, because you see—I knew how much—I mean, I am sure that you are very fond of dear Maud.’ ‘Do his visits please Maud very much?’ and Tor’s face grew grave. ‘Is that what you mean, Aunt Olive?’ ‘Well, I hardly know whether they do or do not yet,’ answered the widow; ‘but of course we should all be glad to see her take pleasure in his society—at least I suppose we ought;’ and here Aunt Olive paused and shook her head. ‘Sometimes I am afraid that—perhaps I am not as forgiving as I should be.’ Tor smiled a little at this ingenuous avowal. ‘You mean, I imagine, that a marriage between Maud and Lewis would not be quite to your taste?’ Aunt Olive looked round nervously, as though she fancied some one might be prying about.