His wife, who was at the other end of the lawn, playing with the children, the boy on her back and a pair of girl twins clinging to her skirts, turned in astonishment and hurried back to him.
"Mrs. Floyd?" They both looked at the card in bewilderment. "Who is it? Mrs. Floyd?"
Then French's face changed.
"What is this lady like?" he asked peremptorily of the parlour-maid.
"Well, sir, she's a dark lady, dressed very smart——"
"Has she very black eyes?"
"Oh yes, sir!"
"Young?"
The girl promptly replied in the negative, qualifying it a moment afterward by a perplexed "Well, I shouldn't say so, sir."
French thought a moment.