As
those three were the young ladies of the house, all the warriors offered
to surrender their seats to them. They refused to accept any surrender,
preferring to walk, whereupon Messrs. Errol, Wilkinson and Coristine
thought an after-dinner walk the height of luxury. Mr. Bangs saw he was
not wanted as a fellow pedestrian, and mounted his horse instead of
having him trot behind a waggon. The vehicles, or at least one of them,
received instructions to wait at the post-office for the three members
of squad No. 1. The walk was strictly proper, Mr. Errol taking Miss
Carmichael, the dominie Miss Halbert, and the lawyer Miss Du Plessis.
"What a goose you are, Mr. Wilkinson," said his fair companion. "What a
goose you are to leave Cecile, whose footsteps you fairly worship, and
to come and walk with a girl for whose society you don't care a penny."
"I should care more for Miss Halbert's society if she did not say such
unjustifiable things."
"Cecile," called the young lady, "I want to change escorts with you; I
like pleasant society."
The dominie felt as if a big school-girl had declined to receive a
reprimand from the principal, and coloured with vexation, but Miss Du
Plessis calmly turned and said: "If Mr.
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