"Then you're not engaged to Maud! I always said it surprised me—Toney's too cute. Here we are—good heavens! It's not pleasant to see your ancestral home looking like this!"
The two men were surrounded immediately by responsible and irresponsible people. Sir Evas heard all that was known, and Lewis was shown where Toney had stood and told how she had saved the lives of Lady Dove and Miss Grossman. Lewis Waycott looked away. He was a strong man but at that moment he felt faint.
"They are all at Waycott, Sir Evas," said Lewis, "I think I'll go on."
"Yes, do, say I am coming. I must thank my people for saving so much of my property. There isn't a picture burnt, and much of the furniture is saved."
Sir Evas had become very popular since Toney had rubbed his shyness off, so now he went about among his tenants scattering kind words, and he was almost overcome by their heartfelt sympathy. Though his treasures had been at everybody's mercy, not the smallest thing had been injured.—"It will soon be built up again, sir—'Twas a mercy everyone was saved—Her ladyship wouldn't face the shoot at first, sir—If Miss Tonia hadn't been there the two ladies would have been roasted alive—The ways of Providence is wonderful! 'Tain't for such of us to understand them!"
On leaving Sir Evas, Lewis had stumbled on Jim.
"Jim, if you're not wanted, take me home in the motor—at least if it isn't burnt."
"No, sir, the stables never suffered. Miss Tonia asked after Colon and the others, sir, and the little dorg went near mad with joy. He tried to run into the fire to find Miss Tonia. Trick ain't like other dorgs."
"I hear, Jim, you saved Miss Toney—you know we shan't forget that."
Jim grinned broadly, he was going faster than any regulation speed, so he could not do more.