From that Mr.Taylor and Miss Dean and the others.
They spoke of you so highly, and of your mother and your care of her.
They described you as a gentleman, and no gentleman would countenance THAT." I was so astonished that I blurted out my next question without thinking.
"You were speaking to them about ME ?" I cried.
Her manner changed.

Possibly she thought I was presuming on our chance acquaintance, or that she made a mistake in admitting even a casual interest; I might consider that interest to be real, instead of merely perfunctory.

At any rate, I noticed a difference in her tone.

It was as if she had suddenly withdrawn behind the fence which marked the border of our social line.
"Oh," she said, carelessly, "I did not cross-question, of course.
Puzzles are always interesting, more or less.

And a puzzle which perplexed my father was certainly unique.