--"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 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.
Fleda looked up and smiled a pleased answer.
"There is something very lovely in the faithfulness of tried friendship--and very uncommon."
"I know that it is uncommon only by hearsay," said Fleda, "I have so many good friends."
He was silent for an instant, possibly thinking there might be a reason for that unknown only to Fleda herself.