Service ended, he asked me what I thought of her; and I said much as I have written here. He appeared satisfied.
“You must stay and be introduced to the family: the father remains in church. I shall walk home with them. Ah, she sees us.”
The lad was all eagerness and excitement. He must be considerably in earnest.
“Now, Doctor, come, nay, pray do.”
For I hesitated.
Hesitation was too late, however: the introduction took place: Treherne hurried it over; though I listened acutely, I could not be certain of the name. It seemed to be, as I already believed, Johnson.
Treherne's beauty met him, all smiles, and he marched off by her side in a most determined manner, the eldest sister following and joining the pair, doubtless to the displeasure of one, or both. She, whom I did not remember seeing before, is a little sharp-speaking woman, pretty, but faded-looking, with very black eyes.
The other sister, left behind, fell in with me. We walked side by side through the churchyard, and into the road. As I held the wicket gate open for her to pass, she looked up, smiled, and said:—
“I suppose you do not remember me, Dr. Urquhart!”
I replied, “Yes I did:” that she was the young lady who “hated soldiers.”