The man was actually about to propose for her daughter! This common man, with nothing! "It's not my habit to make purposeless visits," continued he, "especially among frivolous, idle people like you.

I've been coming here to make a study of your daughter." He paused.

Mrs.Severence gave a feeble, frightened smile, made a sound that might have been mirth and again might have been the beginnings of a hastily-suppressed call for help.
"And," Craig went on energetically, "I find that she is a very superior sort of person.

In another environment she might have been a big, strong woman.

She's amazing, considering the sickly, sycophantic atmosphere she's been brought up in.