ever it was fit for preservation, and that she had dignified the
walls by retaining certain dim old portraits, done in fading oils, of
Stuart's ancestors. Everywhere could be seen similar interesting
blending of the new and the old, though it was often difficult to tell
which was which.

The elder Stuarts were living in a wing of the house, that being the
portion where they had spent their lives, making little use of the
upright and the corresponding wing, which were now turned over to the
son and his wife. Since the elder people wisely preferred this
semi-independence, the younger were able to be much by themselves,
Stuart explained, though always near and ready to lend a hand at any
hour. Since the stalwart son could not be entirely spared by the
somewhat feeble old couple, the arrangement seemed an admirable one,
and thus far it had worked very well.

"Jean's such a dear with them," Stuart said covertly to Georgiana,
leading her aside for a moment to look at a curious old buffet which had
been long in the family. "They adore her, and she really seems very fond
of them. Of course they have old Eliza to look after them, as they have
had for so long; but we ask them in to dinner every few days, and often
have them sitting by the fire with us here on cool evenings. The funny
part, though, is when Mother Crofton comes. She can't get over it, or
get used to it; she sits and looks at Jean as if she were an actress in
a play, and by and by would take off her make-up and be herself again."

"I wonder how far that is from the real truth," thought Georgiana to
herself, as she watched the young mistress of the place with fascinated
eyes.

Certainly if Jeannette were acting it was very skilfully done. As she
led her guests about the house, and then established them on the lawn,
beneath the great elms which furnished a grateful shade at this
afternoon hour over nearly the whole expanse, she seemed the embodiment
of health and happiness.

By and by, when the Crofton car arrived, bearing Uncle Thomas and Aunt
Olivia, with Rosalie and Chester following a few moments later in
Chester's roadster, Jeannette grew fairly radiant.

CHAPTER XXX

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

It was not until late that evening that Georgiana had a chance really to
learn the whole state of the case.

During the intervening hours had occurred the event for which they had
all been invited--the entertaining of at least two hundred people from
the su