After a little while she heard her aunt open the blinds of the garden
door and call her in most friendly tones, and when she reached the
house Miss Prince was in the south parlor entertaining a
visitor,--Captain Walter Parish, who had gladly availed himself of
some trifling excuse of a business nature, which involved the signing
and sending of a paper by the early post of next day. He was going to
his daughter's to tea, and it was quite a long drive to her house, so
he had not dared to put off his errand, he explained, lest he should
be detained in the evening. But he had been also longing to take a
look at Miss Prince's guest. His wife went to another church and he
dutifully accompanied her, though he had been brought up with Miss
Prince at old St. Ann's.
"So this is my young cousin?" said the captain gallantly, and with
great simplicity and tenderness held both Nan's hands and looked full
in her face a moment before he kissed her; then to Miss Prince's great
discomposure and embarrassment he turned to the window and looked out
without saying a word, though he drew the back of his hand across his
eyes in sailor-fashion, as if he wished to make them clear while he
sighted something on the horizon. Miss Prince thought it was all
nonsense and would have liked to say so, though she trusted that her
silence was eloquent enough.
"She brings back the past," said Captain Walter as he returned
presently and seated himself where he could look at Nan as much as he
liked.
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