aware of two persons coming into the porch, one walking feebly like an
old man, and one stepping firmly and strongly; and Mrs. Golding,
springing up, ran forward to greet them, saying,--

'Welcome! welcome, good Mr. Truelocke! this is a greater kindness than I
had hoped for;' so she drew into the light of our candles a reverend old
gentleman, clad in a black gown; he had white hair hanging about his
face, and in his hand a stout staff on which he leaned as he walked.
There came at his side a young, strongly-framed man, in a seaman's
habit, who, I thought, looked something like him, having the same strong
features, but a clear, merry blue eye and brown curling hair; he was
very watchful over the old gentleman, who seemed to move feebly. Our
aunt greeted him kindly by the name of 'Master Harry,' and said, 'It's
good of you to bring your father up so soon to welcome me,' whereon the
young man smiled and said,--

'Nay, it is he that hath brought me; there was no holding him when he
had heard of your return. I would gladly have kept him within doors,
fearing the night damps for him;' and our aunt laughed also, and said to
us,--

'Come, Althea, come, Lucy, and speak to my best friend, who was a good
friend to your mother also; it is the parson of this parish, Mr.
Truelocke, and this his son Harry, newly come home from the seas;' so
we came up and greeted the old gentleman reverently, and his son as
kindly as we might; and Mrs. Golding put Mr. Truelocke into a great
armed chair, and sat looking at him with vast contentment. He looked at
her and smiled a wonderfully sweet smile.

'Had you brought these young maids home a month or two later, Mrs.