“Ah!” Mrs. Van Santen bent forward, and stared intently into his face. “There was something in it then? You know her well, this Miss Davison, Mr. Buckland?” What on earth was she going to ask him? Gerard, feeling that he should be called upon to go through a trying ordeal, braced himself up to the occasion. “I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her at the house of several of my friends.” “You know her people too, I suppose?” “Yes, I know her mother, her sister, and, as I’ve said, a good many friends of hers.” “Ah! And they’re good sort of people, satisfactory sort of people? There, there, don’t get so red. I don’t mean to put you through a long catechism. But the fact is, one of my sons has gone and fallen in love with the girl, and I’m not quite sure I approve of it. I’m particular about my sons. I want them to marry girls who will have a good influence over them, and I’m not quite sure about this young woman.” Gerard was aghast. He could see that the mother’s shrewdness had fathomed the fact that there was some mystery about Miss Davison, and, with the daring of an American, she had at once searched in the ranks of her acquaintances for someone who would be likely to tell her all she wanted to know about her proposed daughter-in-law. She had had the wit to guess that Gerard, who was evidently in love with the girl himself, would not be inclined to be too indulgent towards her, or to paint her family or herself in too rosy colors to his successful rival’s family. Gerard did not know what to say. He felt quite sure that, whatever might be the ugly truth about the bondage Rachel was in, she was quite good enough for a man like Denver, a boastful, swaggering fellow, fond of cards and of little else, and as obtrusive and bold in his love-making as if he had been twenty times Rachel’s superior. On the other hand, he shrank from telling a direct lie to this simple and trusting woman, who had come to him in her doubts and fears to learn the truth about her son’s future wife. “Surely,” he said rather coldly, “your son is old enough and clever enough to hold his own, and to be ready to influence his wife rather than to be influenced by her.” The old lady shook her head slowly. “One might say so, if one knew the world less well than I do,” she said shortly. “But a handsome wife can do a lot one way or the other with a man.” “What makes you think Miss Davison’s influence would be other than good?” asked Gerard. The old lady put her head on one side and looked at him keenly.