His wife is not living." "Is she his only child?
Or has he others ?" There was a quiver of suspense in her voice, and turning he looked at her more closely.

Was it possible that she had known Gideon Vetch in his obscure past?
"She is his only child," he replied.
"Well, that's nice for her.

Is she pretty ?" An odd question if it had been put by a man; but he had been trained to accept the fact that women are different.
"Yes, you would call her pretty." As he spoke the words there flashed through his mind the picture of Patty Vetch as he had seen her that afternoon, in her red cape and her small hat with the red wings, against the snowy hill under the overhanging bough of the sycamore.

Was she really pretty, or was it only the witchery of her surroundings?
Now that he was out of her presence the attraction had faded.

He was still smarting from the memory of that dancing figure.
"Well, it's a fine house," said the woman, "and it looks large for just two people.