“A most delicate situation would be created in that case,” he said.  “Of course I can’t pretend to say how Raymond will regard it.  He may see it with your eyes.  He sees so many things with your eyes—­more and more, in fact—­that I hope he will; but you mustn’t be very disappointed if he does not.  This cannot look to him as it does to you, or even to me.  His point of view may reject Abel’s suggestion altogether for various reasons; and Sabina, too, will very likely feel it couldn’t happen without awakening a great many painful memories.”

“She advised us to consult Abel and hear what he thought.”

“We have.  We return with the great man’s ultimatum.  But I’m afraid it doesn’t follow that his ultimatum will be accepted.  Even if Sabina felt she could endure such an arrangement, it is doubtful in the extreme whether Raymond will.  Indeed I’ll go so far as to prophesy that he won’t.”

Estelle saw that she had been over-sanguine.

“There’s one bright side, however,” he continued.  “We have got something definite out of the boy and should now be able to help him largely in spite of himself.  Every day he lives, he’ll become more impressed with the necessity for knowledge, and if, for the moment, he declines any alternative, he’ll soon come round to one.  He knows already that he can’t stop at Knapp, so this great and perilous adventure of the automobile has been successful—­though how successful we cannot tell yet.”

He knew, however, before the day was done, for Sabina felt very definitely on the subject.  Yet her attitude was curious:  she held it not necessary to express an opinion.

Mr. Churchouse came home very cold, and while she attended to his needs, brought him hot drink and lighted a fire, Sabina listened.

“The boy is exceedingly well,” he said.  “I never saw his eye so bright, or his skin so clear and brown.  But a farmer he won’t be for anybody.  Of course, one never thought he would.”

When she had heard Abel’s idea, she answered without delay.

“It’s a thousand pities he’s set his heart on that, because it won’t happen.  What I think doesn’t matter, of course, but for once you’ll find his father is of a mind with me.  He’ll not suffer such an arrangement for a moment.  It’s bringing the trouble too near.  He doesn’t want his skeleton walking out of the cupboard into the Mill, and whatever happens, that won’t.”

She was right enough, for when Raymond heard all that Estelle could tell him, he decided instantly against any such arrangement.

“Impossible,” he said.  “One needn’t trouble even to argue about it.  But that he would like to be an engineer is quite healthy.  He shall be; and he shall begin at the beginning and have every advantage possible—­not his way, but mine.  I argue ultimate success from this.  It eases my mind.”

“All the same, if you don’t do anything, he’ll only run away again,” said Estelle, who was disappointed.