"It's puzzling to me. These things often are to outsiders. Still, Clarence is a handsome man, and I think George was in favor of the match, which would count with her. Then, in a way, she was always fond of Clarence, and now that she has the money and he's far from prospering on the land, the idea that she could set him firmly on his feet by sharing her possessions with him may prove tempting. It's very much the sort of thing that would appeal to her." "You suggest that she isn't strongly attached to the man." "I really believe she isn't; but, for all that, I'm sometimes afraid she'll end by marrying him. It's very probable that she suspects some of his faults, but I'm not sure they'd deter her. It would make her more compassionate, believing it was her duty to help him--that kind of thing's an old delusion. Still, to do the fellow justice, he hasn't of late shown much eagerness to profit by his opportunities." Lisle mused for a few moments. It struck him that Nasmyth had described a very fine type of woman, which was quite in accordance with his own ideas of Miss Gladwyne. "What led Gladwyne to cultivate Marple and the Crestwicks?" he asked. "They're different from the rest of you." "I can't say. It's a point I've wondered about, though Marple and his rather rowdy friends are prosperous. I can better see why they got hold of Clarence." "I don't see it," responded Lisle. "Remember I'm an unsophisticated stranger in search of information. If they've means enough, can't they associate with whom they like?" Nasmyth smiled, but there was a trace of diffidence in his manner. "In a way, you're right; but there are limits, more particularly in such a place as this. The counties, I'm sometimes thankful, don't keep pace with London. It's a little difficult to explain, but we're old-fashioned and possibly prejudiced here. Anyhow, we exercise a certain amount of caution in the choice of our friends." "But Mrs. Gladwyne seems cordial to the people you object to, and one would imagine that she's the embodiment of your best traditions, a worthy representative of the old regime." "Mrs. Gladwyne is a remarkably fine lady, but it's unfortunate that she's a little deaf and--it must be owned--not particularly intelligent. A good deal of what goes on escapes her. Besides, she has always idolized Clarence, and that would account for her not seeing his friends' failings." "It's curious that Gladwyne makes so much of that young Crestwick." "I've wondered about it," Nasmyth confessed. "The lad's vicious--and I've an idea that the influence Clarence has over him isn't beneficial. In fact, I'm sorry for his sister. She has been given her head too young, but, in my opinion, the girl's the pick of a very indifferent bunch." "But you haven't accounted for these people's desire to be on good terms with Gladwyne." Nasmyth hesitated.