The figure was so rounded and graceful, and there was such alertness and youthfulness in the bearing; but as she came closer to him he saw that her hair was quite gray.
"I am very pleased indeed to see you, Mr.Herrick," she observed in a pleasant voice.

"We have heard so much of you from Cedric that you seem quite an old friend.

I am afraid you will find us very quiet, homely people; but I daresay Cedric will have prepared you for that.

He grumbles dreadfully, poor boy, at our old-fashioned, humdrum ways." "I can assure you, Miss Templeton, that the quiet will be very restful after the turmoil of town," returned Malcolm seriously; "and, as far as I can judge at present, Staplegrove seems a perfect paradise;" and then Miss Templeton smiled and led the way into a pleasant, cosy-looking drawing-room, with three windows opening on to a terrace, below which lay a charming garden.

On this side of the house the wood ended abruptly; but in the distance, beyond a rose arch, Malcolm caught sight of a little rustic bridge which seemed to span a sort of green ravine.
Miss Templeton had taken her place at the tea-table; but Malcolm did not at once follow her.