"No, over seas, Sir; a fine young gentleman, but hasty; and--and--but
Lord bless me! sure--no, it can't be--yes, now you turn--it is--it is my
young master!" So saying, the old Corporal, roused into affection,
hobbled up to the wanderer, and seized and kissed his hand. "Ah, Sir, we
shall be glad, indeed, to see you back after such doings. But's all
forgotten now, and gone by--augh! Poor Miss Ellinor, how happy she'll be
to see your honour. Ah! how she be changed, surely!"

"Changed; ay, I make no doubt! What! does she look in weak health?"

"No; as to that, your honour, she be winsome enough still," quoth the
Corporal, smacking his lips; "I seed her the week afore last, when I went
over to--, for I suppose you knows as she lives there, all alone like, in
a small house, with a green rail afore it, and a brass knocker on the
door, at top of the town, with a fine view of the--hills in front? Well,
Sir, I seed her, and mighty handsome she looked, though a little thinner
than she was; but, for all that, she be greatly changed."

"How! for the worse?"

"For the worse, indeed," answered the Corporal, assuming an air of
melancholy and grave significance; "she be grown religious, Sir, think of
that--augh--bother--whaugh!"

"Is that all?" said Walter, relieved, and with a slight smile. "And she
lives alone?"

"Quite, poor young lady, as if she had made up her mind to be an old
maid; though I know as how she refused Squire Knyvett of the Grange
waiting for your honour's return, mayhap!"