‘Why, certainly. Not but what Tor and I have very frequently got mixed in the minds of other people, and I’m afraid we did not bother ourselves always to put them right; still we did not go so far as to confuse our own identity ourselves. All the same, you are not the first person who has been confused.’ ‘Yes, I certainly thought you were Torwood; however, I’m quite open to conviction. Where is Torwood? Are you still travelling together, or have you divided company at last?’ ‘I have come over to see about some property I came into a little while back; and Tor is in Germany. He’s been rather seedy, poor old fellow! I dare say, as soon as I can get away, we shall go off again somewhere together. Anyway, I shall go over and see about it soon.’ ‘You must miss one another, I should think. He always seemed to lean upon you for everything,’ remarked Sir Herbert. And then he was carried off by Bertha to play tennis, and Tor was left with Mrs. Belassis and her daughter. ‘You know Sir Herbert Moncrieff then, Phil?’ said the latter. ‘Yes, a little. We met in Canada, and travelled for a week together. I think that was the only time we met. He is rather a nice boy; but I fancy Tor saw more of him than I did.’ ‘Rather odd, that mistake he made about the name,’ remarked Mrs. Belassis incisively. Tor felt he was being closely watched; but he was not going to be put out by the scrutiny. ‘Yes, rather; but he’s not the only person who has mixed us up together. We often got taken one for the other; but it didn’t matter, and we didn’t care. I suppose sisters and intimates do meet with that sort of thing. Aren’t you and Bertha mistaken for one another sometimes, Matilda?’ ‘Oh yes, often. People are very stupid. I should think you and Mr. Torwood must have got muddled up very often. Is Sir Herbert very rich, Phil?’ ‘I don’t know; pretty well off, I should say. You can look him up in the “Landed Gentry” if you want to know about him.’ ‘Oh, I don’t care, I’m sure; he’s a mere boy. I don’t think men are at all amusing until they have passed five-and-twenty.’ ‘And after that they become more fascinating every year,’ suggested Tor, with a smile. ‘What good taste you have, my fair cousin! I was beginning to fear I was getting to be an old fogy. Now I shall have hopes of myself.’ Matilda laughed and shook her head coquettishly. ‘As if you ever thought such a thing! You know quite well what is thought of you all round here. You are only fishing for compliments, you bad boy!’ ‘Well, compliments are very nice things, especially from the lips of ladies,’ answered Tor gallantly. Matilda blushed and bridled. Mrs. Belassis looked at the two faces, and her keen glance read at once the consciousness and vanity of the one, and the good-humoured indifference of the other. Towards her daughter she felt a contemptuous pity for her conceit and credulity; but none the less did her indignation rise against the man who was practising upon it.