u, and probably follow you."

"Do not follow me, pray, Captain Aylmer," said she. Then she was
driven to the station; and as she passed through the lodges of the
park entrance she took what she intended to be a final farewell of
Aylmer Park.

CHAPTER XXVII.

ONCE MORE BACK TO BELTON.

When the carriage was driven away, Sir Anthony and Captain Aylmer
were left standing alone at the hall door of the house. The servants
had slunk off, and the father and son, looking at each other, felt
that they also must slink away, or else have some words together on
the subject of their guest's departure. The younger gentleman would
have preferred that there should be no words, but Sir Anthony was
curious to know something of what had passed in the house during the
last few days. "I'm afraid things are not going quite comfortable,"
he said.

"It seems to me, sir," said his son, "that things very seldom do go
quite comfortable."

"But, Fred,--what is it all about? Your mother says that Miss Amedroz
is behaving very badly."

"And Miss Amedroz says that my mother is behaving very badly."

"Of course;--that's only natural. And what do you say?"

"I say nothing, sir. The less said the soonest mended."

"That's all very well; but it seems to me that you, in your position,
must say something. The long and the short of it is this. Is she to
be your wife?"

"Upon my word, sir, I don't know."

They were still standing out under the portico, and as Sir Anthony
did not for a minute or two ask any further questions, Captain Aylmer
turned as though he were going into the house. But his father had
still a word or two to say. "Stop a moment, Fred. I don't often
trouble you with advice."

"I'm sure I'm always glad to hear it when you offer any."

"I know very well that in most things your opinion is better than
mine. You've had advantages which I never had. But I've had more
experience than you, my dear boy. It stands to reason that in some
things I must have had more experience than you." There was a tone of
melancholy in the father's voice as he said this which quite touched
his son, and which brought the two closer together out in the porch.
"Take my word for it," continued Sir Anthony, "that you are much
better off as you are than you could be with a wife."

"Do you mean to say that no man should marry?"

"No;--I don't mean to say that. An eldest son ought to marry, so that
the property may have an heir. And poor men sh