Two or three rough boulders, cushioned with moss, made comfortable seats, and were at the present moment occupied by two people--one of them evidently the second Miss Templeton, and the other a young man in a rough serge suit, whom at first sight Malcolm certainly did not take for a clergyman; and round them, in various attitudes of waiting and expectancy, dogs of all sorts and conditions--from a handsome brown retriever to Cedric's little fox-terrier, Dick.
"My word, there's Carlyon," observed Cedric in rather an aggrieved tone; "why, the fellow lives here;" and then he put his hands to his mouth and gave a view-hallo so lustily that all the dogs began barking like mad.

Only Dick--who was a knowing fellow and up to tricks--rushed up the path and began dancing excitedly round his master.
"What barbarians boys are!" observed the other Miss Templeton somewhat coolly to her companion, and then she rose from the boulder and walked rather majestically towards her sister and their guest.
Her manner was friendly, and she greeted Malcolm kindly enough, but it was less soft and winning than her sister's, and did not impress him so favourably.

Then she introduced Mr.Carlyon, and the two young men shook hands; and afterwards the dogs passed in review, and Elizabeth gravely named each one, ending up with her sister's little dachshund Mike.
Malcolm, who was a dog-lover, although he had none of his own, was soon making friends with all the animals; but as he praised and caressed them, he was telling himself over and over again that the second Miss Templeton could not hold a candle to her sister.
Malcolm was terribly critical with regard to women; Anna had often blamed him for his severity.
"It is a mistake to expect perfection," she would say; "it is so easy to find fault and pick holes in people;" but though Malcolm agreed with her, he still remained fastidious and hard to please.

So he at once decided that Miss Elizabeth Templeton was not to his taste.

In the first place, he did not admire big women--and she was tall, and decidedly massive.