ly. No one to crib my
ideas. But I must have trial ground."

"That's Nevil's affair."

"Well, I undertake to manage Nevil if you are afraid," said
Christopher, with an air of desperate resolve.

"I thought you didn't like Marden," persisted Caesar, fighting in an
unreasoning way, against his own desires, "and this engaged couple
will wander round and get in the way."

He looked Christopher straight in the face with scrutinising eyes, but
he never flinched.

"I'll put up a notice, 'Trespassers will be blown up.'"

"Well, you'd better talk to St. Michael, but remember, I can't buy up
the other fellows. You'd better have taken Peter's offer."

"I'd much rather bore you than Mr. Masters."

"I'm not complaining."

That was the nearest approach he made to expressing to Christopher his
deep, quiet content at the arrangement that astute young man had so
skilfully suggested. St. Michael said a little more and Christopher
knew without words that he had pleased them both.

CHAPTER XXIV

It took very little time for Christopher to establish himself in the
desired manner. Indeed, before another week had passed the suggestion
was an accomplished fact. After that his actual presence in the house
might almost have been forgotten except by Caesar. Mr. Masters' half
serious threat was like a spur to a willing steed. He spoke little of
what he was doing, but the experimental ground was criss-crossed with
strange-coloured roads, and the little band of men who worked for him,
with the kindly indulgence of the "young master's whim," began to talk
less of the fad and to nurse a bewildered wonder at the said young
master's strict rule and elaborate care over little points that slow
minds barely saw at all.

As for the engaged couple, Christopher rarely met them. He did not
intentionally avoid either Patricia or Geoffry, singly or
collectively, but he was not sorry their preoccupation and his
separated them. He did not lose his sense of possessorship of
Patricia: in his innermost mind she was still his, and Geoffry was but
the owner of an outside visible Patricia that was but one expression
of the woman who stood crowned and waiting in his heart.

There was no question of the wedding, or if there were between
themselves, Geoffry was not allowed to voice it. Patricia was enjoying
life and in no hurry to forego or shorten the pleasant days of her
engagement.

Towards the end of September Christopher began to relax his l