1) I agree to remove the but, but I removed that later sentence because the same info is repeated in the return to the original text later on:
Quote:
|
He went much about the lands of late. Borlas was not sure of his business, though he understood that, among other interests, he dealt in timber. He brought news from all over the kingdom to his old friend. Or to his friend's old father; for Berelach had been his constant companion at one time, though they seemed seldom to meet nowadays.
|
To keep the smaller sentence in thus seems redundant to me.
2) I agree this works nicely here.