"Hugh is at home," said Fleda, "and rather delicate Charlton is in the army."
"In the army! In Mexico! "
"In Mexico he has been "
"Your poor aunt Lucy!"
" In Mexico he has been, but he is just coming home now he has been wounded, and he is coming home to spend a long furlough."
"Coming home. That will make you all very happy. And Hugh is delicate; and how are you, love? you hardly look like a country-girl. Mr. Olmney!" said Mrs. Evelyn, looking round for her companion, who was standing quietly a few steps off, surveying the scene. "Mr. Olmney! I am going to do you a favour, Sir, in introducing you to Miss Ringgan, a very old friend of mine. Mr. Olmney, these are not exactly the apple- cheeks and robustious demonstrations we are taught to look for in country-land."
This was said with a kind of sly funny enjoyment, which took away everything disagreeable from the appeal; but Fleda conceived a favourable opinion of the person to whom it was made from the fact that he paid her no compliment, and made no answer beyond a very pleasant smile.
"What is Mrs. Evelyn's definition of a very old friend?" said he, with another smile, as that lady moved off to take a more particular view of what she had come to see. "To judge by the specimen before me, I should consider it very equivocal."
"Perhaps Mrs. Evelyn counts friendships by inheritance," said
Fleda. "I think they ought to be counted so."
" 'Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not,' " said the young man.