‘Think I gave him one that time,’ said Phil, as they walked away. ‘How I hated him, when I saw him again!—just as I did when I was a small boy and he bullied me.’ ‘They are mad that they can’t prosecute me,’ said Tor, laughing. ‘I should get scant mercy at their hands.’ ‘He looks a regular old scoundrel, and I believe he is one; but I don’t believe I should dare to defy him, if I hadn’t you at my back.’ ‘The old story—eh, Phil?’ ‘It will be the old story till the end of the chapter, I expect, old man. You mustn’t desert me when you marry Maud.’ ‘No fear.’ ‘I shall do as old Maynard wished, and make good the money to her; he would have left it to her, if he hadn’t been afraid of doing more harm than good.’ ‘Well, it’s not for me to stand in the way of what you think right; but I have plenty for both, you know, and Ladywell wants keeping up.’ ‘Maud shall be well dowered, anyway—that’s my positive duty as head of the family; but is there no way of punishing that Belassis for ruining my father, and destroying his last will?—for I know he did both.’ ‘We can’t prove even the existence of that other will, much less its destruction, though we are quite convinced of both. As to the other question, I have made out that it would be a difficult matter to open an inquiry at this distance of time. Besides, you know, a knave can ruin an honest man without going beyond the limit of the law, if he only knows how to set about it. I believe Belassis did know that well.’ ‘The old scoundrel!’ muttered Phil. ‘I wish we could ruin him.’ ‘Strikes me he’ll ruin himself some of these days, without any assistance from us.’ ‘How so?’ ‘Speculation.’ ‘Ah! you think that?’ ‘I do; and it strikes me it will be all he can do to produce the £5000 of Maud’s trust-money, which will have to be handed over.’ ‘You don’t mean to say you think he’s played fast and loose with that?’ ‘I do. I am pretty sure it is so, otherwise he would have cared little about the marriage. It is either that, or else the fear that the later will may turn up—if he has not found and destroyed it.’ ‘The old scoundrel! Come, Tor, we’ll change the subject, or I shall lose my temper. Shall we go to the Merediths’ now?’ ‘If you like.’ ‘I do like. I want to get things settled with Roma. Tor, old man, you’ll settle the father for me, won’t you?’ ‘All right; but you must come too, or he’ll not believe me when I try to explain.’ ‘He won’t have a fit or anything, I hope?’ ‘Oh no! He’ll not care a bit, so long as Philip Debenham is willing to marry his daughter.’ ‘He’s an old ass!’ ‘Don’t tell Roma so, anyhow; and don’t be so free of your opinions respecting your future father-in-law.’ Phil felt slightly rebuked, more by the tone than the words. ‘It’s only to you, Tor. I rather like the old boy, really.’ ‘He’s not bad, if he can once be made to forget himself.’ ‘Roma is an angel! I never knew so devoted a daughter.’