be that Sir
James would presently be their detested stepfather; but he went alone,
early in the afternoon.

He was now on such familiar terms at the Grange that Mawley took him
straight to the smoking-room, where his master was smoking a cigar over
his after-lunch coffee. Sir James welcomed him warmly, for he was
beginning to learn that the Terror was quite good company, in the
country, and poured him out a cup of coffee.

The Terror put sugar and cream into it and forthwith, since a simple
matter of this kind did not seem to him to call for the exercise of his
usual diplomacy, said with firm directness: "I've come to ask your
intentions, sir."

"My intentions?" said Sir James, not taking him.

"Yes. You see some of the old cats who live about here are saying that
you're only fooling," said the Terror.

"The deuce they are!" cried Sir James sharply with a sudden and angry
comprehension.

"Yes. So of course the thing to do was to ask your intentions," said
the Terror firmly.

"Of course--of course," said Sir James.

He looked at the Terror; and in spite of his anger his eyes twinkled.
Then he added gravely: "My intentions are not only extremely serious
but they're extremely immediate. I'd marry your mother to-morrow if
she'd let me."

"That's all right," said the Terror with a faint sigh of relief. "Of
course I knew you were all right. Only, it was the thing to do, with
these silly old idiots talking."

"Quite so--quite so," said Sir James.

There was a pause; and Sir James looked again at the Terror tranquilly
drinking his coffee, in a somewhat appealing fashion, for he had been
suffering badly from all the doubts and fears of the lover; and the
Terror's serenity was soothing.

Then with a sudden craving for comfort and reassurance, he said: "Do
you think your mother would marry me?"

"I haven't the slightest idea; women are so funny," said the Terror
with a sage air.

Sir James pulled at his mustache. Then the compulsion to have some
one's opinion of his chances, even if it was only a small boy's, came
on him strongly; and he said:

"I wish I knew what to do. As it is we're very good friends; and if I
asked her to marry me, I might spoil that."

The Terror considered the point for a minute or two; then he said: "I
don't think you would. Mum's very sensible, though she is so pretty."

Sir James frowned deeply in his utter perplexity; then he said: "I'll
risk it!"

He rang the bell and