assure you, her face struck me. Looking at it with my friendly interest
in the family, I thought it very remarkable. I said to myself--Charming,
Characteristic, Memorable. Not like her sister, not like her mother. No
doubt, the image of her father?"

Once more Miss Garth attempted to stem the man's flow of words. It was
plain that he did not know Mr. Vanstone, even by sight--otherwise he
would never have committed the error of supposing that Magdalen took
after her father. Did he know Mrs. Vanstone any better? He had left Miss
Garth's question on that point unanswered. In the name of wonder, who
was he? Powers of impudence! what did he want?

"You may be a friend of the family, though I don't remember your face,"
said Miss Garth. "What may your commands be, if you please? Did you come
here to pay Mrs. Vanstone a visit?"

"I had anticipated the pleasure of communicating with Mrs. Vanstone,"
answered this inveterately evasive and inveterately civil man. "How is
she?"

"Much as usual," said Miss Garth, feeling her resources of politeness
fast failing her.

"Is she at home?"

"No."

"Out for long?"

"Gone to London with Mr. Vanstone."