"Come," said the ancient, "thou's stronger nor me, let me lean on thy airm;" and, thus supported on the one hand, and with his stick in the other, they walked at a slow pace through two or three fields, and then found themselves at his door. His house was of brick, overgrown in the front with large pear-trees, whose dark foliage strongly contrasted with the clean white windows. A small plot before it, defended by a green paling, was filled with pinks, roses, campanulas, and other summer flowers; at the one end a large, well-stocked orchard extended down the hill-side beyond which, in the distance, were seen the blue waters of the lake; and, at the other, was the farm-yard, with its various out-buildings, its herds of lowing cattle, and troops of poultry. The old man introduced his son, who had arrived before them, by the name of James Summers, and then turning to Edward, said, "but as I don't knaw tha name, I can only half perform my duty." "My name," he said "is Edward Fletcher." "From thy dialect," said the son, "I suppose thou art from London." "Yes, I live there at present, but I was born at Rockgill, about twelve miles to the west of this place." "What!" inquired the son, "was thy father's name Richard Fletcher?" "It was," Edward replied, "but he has been long dead." "I know he has; he was an intimate friend of ours; in fact we were his next neighbours, till the advanced age and increasing infirmities of my father, rendered it necessary for me to assist in the management of his farm. I am heartily glad to see thee; thou must protract thy stay with us, for we have been too long separated to part soon." "Ay," added his wife, "many a time have I dandled thee on my knee when a child, and Eliza and thou used to wander about together from morning till night." "What's getten them?" asked the old man, "they are langer nor common in comin' in." As he spoke the door opened, and the sisters entered the room. "Why," said the old man, "ye ran off to-day, and didn't come an' help me hame as ye used to do!" "O! grandfather," said Eliza, "we saw thou wast too well assisted to need our aid." "Ay, and wha think ye my helper was?--naebody else but Edward Fletcher, that used to play wi' thee when ye were bairns, and that thou sae often talks aboot." Edward observed her blush deeply at this remark. He had at once recognized her as the lady who had yesterday crossed his path, and as he now accosted her, he felt all his prepossessions in her favour incalculably increased. Her personal appearance was very pleasing. She was rather tall. Her form was slender and graceful, and her complexion exceedingly fair. Her chestnut hair was parted on her forehead, a few stray tresses escaped from the border of her cap, and her light blue eyes sparkled with innocent cheerfulness and unobtrusive benevolence. Her sister, a few years younger, was also a lovely girl, but her form and features were less fully developed.