“What do you say, Ralph?” she asked.

The lord of Cobhurst, who had allowed his sister to tell of the visit of the Dranes, had been thinking what a wonderful piece of good luck it would have been, if, instead of these strangers, Dora Bannister and her family had desired to find quarters in a pleasant country house for a few summer weeks.  He did not know her family, nor did he allow himself to consider the point that said family was accustomed to an expensive style of living and accommodation, entirely unlike anything to be found on a ramshackle farm.  He only thought how delightful it would be if it were Dora who wanted to come to Cobhurst.

As Ralph looked upon the animated face of his sister, it was easy enough to see that the case as presented by the doctor interested her very much, and that she was awaiting his answer with an eagerness that somewhat surprised him.

“And you, little one, would you like to have these ladies come to us?”

“Yes, I would,” said Miriam, and then she stopped.  There was much more she could have said, which crowded itself into her mind so fast that she could scarcely help saying it, but it would have been contrary to the inborn spirit of the girl to admit that she ever felt lonely in this dear home, or that, with a brother like Ralph, she ever craved the companionship of a girl.  But it was not necessary to say any more.

“If you want them, they shall come,” said Ralph, and if it had been the Tolbridges or Miss Panney whose society his sister desired, his assent would have been given just as freely.

In fifteen minutes everything was settled and the doctor was driving away.  He was in good spirits over the results of his mission, for that morning La Fleur had waylaid him as he went out and again had spoken to him about the possibility of hiring a little house in the suburbs.

“I am sure this arrangement will suit our good cook,” he thought; “but as for its continuance, we must let time and circumstances settle that.”

The doctor reached home about eleven o’clock.

“What do you think it would be better to do,” he said to his wife, when he had made his report, “to stop at Mrs. Drane’s as I go out this afternoon, or to tell Cicely about our Cobhurst scheme, and let her tell her mother?”

“The thing to do,” said Mrs. Tolbridge, closing her desk, at which she was writing, “is for me to go and see Mrs. Drane immediately, and for you to send Cicely home and give her a lot of work to do at Cobhurst.  They should go there this afternoon.”

“Yes,” said the doctor; “of course, the sooner the better; but it has struck me perhaps it might be well to mention the matter to Miss Panney before the Dranes actually leave Mrs. Brinkly.  You know she was very active in procuring that place for them.”

Mrs. Tolbridge looked at her husband, gave a little sigh, and then smiled.

“What is your opinion of a bird,” she asked, “who, flying to the shelter of the woods, thinks it would be a good idea to stop for a moment and look down the gun-barrel of a sportsman, to see what is there?”