"I wonder what is the matter with Caroline," she said. "If it were not that she tells me that she never was better, I should believe she is feeling unwell. I've never seen her so simple and gentle. She looks like a person who has a great fright,--a fright not altogether unpleasant." "She has been staying in a house full of people," said Mason. "She has been excited, and amused, and preoccupied; she returns to you and me (excuse the juxtaposition,--it exists)--a kind of reaction asserts itself." Ferdinand's explanation was ingenious rather than plausible. Mrs. Mason had a better one. "I have an impression," she said, "George Stapleton, the second of the sons, is an old admirer of Caroline's. It's hard to believe that he could have been in the house with her for a fortnight without renewing his suit, in some form or other." Ferdinand was not made uneasy, for he had seen and talked with Mr. George Stapleton,--a young man, very good-looking, very good-natured, very clever, very rich, and very unworthy, as he conceived, of Miss Hofmann. "You don't mean to say that your niece has listened to him," he answered, calmly enough. "Listened, yes. He has made himself agreeable, and he has succeeded in making an impression,--a temporary impression," added Mrs. Mason with a business-like air. "I can't believe it," said Ferdinand. "Why not? He's a very nice fellow." "Yes,--yes," said Mason, "very nice, indeed. He's very rich, too." And here the talk was interrupted by Caroline's entrance.