Upon the occasion of my first introduction to her I could not help telling her that I was convinced that we had met, and asking her if she did not remember it.

No, she did not remember, but very likely she might have done so, and she suggested the names of several people at whose houses we might have met.

I did not know any of them.

Presently she asked how long I had been out in India?
"'Six years,' I said.
"'And how old, Mr.Harley,' she said, 'do you take me to be ?' "I saw in one instant my stupidity, and was stammering out an apology, when she went on: "'I am very little over eighteen, Mr.Harley, although I evidently look ever so many years older; but papa can certify to my age; so I was only twelve when you left England.' "I tried in vain to clear matters up.

Your aunt would insist that I took her to be forty, and the fun that my blunder made rather drew us together, and gave me a start over the other fellows at the station, half of whom fell straightway in love with her.