"Thank you," said her caller, easily, with a little inclination of
his head that seemed to acknowledge her hospitality. He put his hat,
a shining, silk hat, upon the hall table, and followed her into the
dining-room. Anne found, when she turned to give him the big chair,
that he had pulled off his big gloves, too, and that Diego had put a
confident, small hand into his.

He sat down comfortably, a big, square-built man, with rosy color,
hair that was already silvered, and a fast-silvering mustache, and
keen, kind eyes as blue as Virginia's. In the expression of these
eyes, and in the lines about his fine mouth, was that suggestion of
simple friendliness and sympathy that no man, woman, or child can
long resist. Anne found herself already deciding that she LIKED this
man. She went on with Jinny's small toilet, even while she wondered
about her caller, and while she decided that Jim should have an
overcoat of exactly this big, generous cut, and of exactly this
delightful, warm-looking rough cloth, some day.

"Perhaps this is a bad hour to disturb these little people?" said
the caller, smiling, but with something in his manner and in his
rather deliberate and well-chosen speech, of the dignity and
courtesy of an older generation.

"Oh, no, indeed!" Anne assured him. "I'm going right on with them,
you see!"

Jinny, deliciously drowsy, gave the stranger a slow yet approving
smile, from the safety of Anne's arms. Diego went to lay a small
hand upon the gentleman's knee.