"Thou art a bold fellow to tell me this to my face," cried Juliana.
"I may be bold, but I am not a flatterer," rejoined the young man. "Truth ought not to be disagreeable, and I have spoken nothing but truth."
"But were I to say thou art singularly ill-favoured, it would be truth, yet thou wouldst not like it," remarked Juliana.
"It would certainly be a poor return for my civil speech," rejoined the young man, laughing. "But if you knew me better you might change your opinion. I have not always been thought ill-favoured."
"They who thought thee otherwise must have been bad judges, with whom thy impertinence might pass for wit," said Juliana. "But I will tolerate no more of it. Stand back, and do not presume to address me again, or I will acquaint the colonel, and he will punish thy presumption."
"I am not aware that I have presumed, fair mistress," replied the other. "But if you deem so, I humbly ask your pardon."
"Ah! here comes the colonel," cried Juliana. "He will read thee a wholesome lesson for thy freedom of speech."
Colonel Wyndham's approach produced a sudden change in the young man's demeanour that astonished Juliana.
Pushing forward to the gate, he called out lustily, "Frank, Frank! how art thou?"
At the sound of this well-known voice the colonel quickened his pace, exclaiming joyously: