An instant she looked at Blake and an instant he looked at her. What
she gained from her scrutiny showed in no change of expression. What he
gained showed only in a quick flutter of the eyelids. He had, in fact,
taken an impression of mental power as startling as a sudden blow in
the face. She had a magnificent physique, preserved splendidly into the
very heart of middle age; yet her foot had made no sound in her
approach. Her black velvet draperies trailed heavy on the floor, yet
they produced not the ghost of a rustle. Jet-black hair coiled in
ropes, yet wisped white above the temples; light gray eyes, full and
soft, yet with a steady look of power--all this came in the process of
rising, of stepping forward to clasp a warm hand which lingered just
long enough, in hearing Annette say in tones suddenly dead of their
boyish energy:

"Aunt Paula, let me introduce Dr. Blake." With one ample motion, Mrs.
Markham seated herself. She turned her light eyes upon him. He had a
subconscious impression of standing before two searchlights.

"My niece has told me much about Dr. Blake," she said in a voice which,
like Annette's, showed every intonation of culture; "I can't thank you
enough for being kind to my little girl. So good in you to bother about
her when"--Aunt Paula gave the effect of faltering, but her smile was
peculiarly gracious--"when there were no other men nearer her own age."

[Illustration: HE HAD TAKEN AN IMPRESSION OF MENTAL POWER AS STARTLING
AS A SUDDEN BLOW IN THE FACE]

Curiously, there floated into Blake's mind the remark which Annette
made that first day on the train--"I should think you were about
twenty-eight--and that, according to 'Peter Ibbertson,' is about the