Like most of such terrors it was overestimated.
There was a little pause--rather an intense little pause; and then--"Isn't that the girl who set 'em all by the ears yesterday ?" asked the young man, pointing to the morning paper.

"They say she's a good-looker." Madam Weatherstone rose from the table in some agitation.

"I must say I am very sorry, Viva, that you should have been so--precipitate! This young woman cannot be competent to manage a house like this--to say nothing of her scandalous ideas.

Mrs.Halsey was--to my mind--perfectly satisfactory.

I shall miss her very much." She swept out with an unanswerable air.
"So shall I," muttered Mat, under his breath, as he strolled after her; "unless the new one's equally amiable." Viva Weatherstone watched them go, and stood awhile looking after the well-built, well-dressed, well-mannered but far from well-behaved young man.
"I don't _know_," she said to herself, "but I do feel--think--imagine--a good deal.