“She says,” added Mrs. Tolbridge, “that if you give her a gridiron, a saucepan, and a fire, she will cook a meal fit for a duke.  With brains, she says, one can make up all deficiencies.”

Ralph took his sister aside.

“Do go out and see her, Miriam,” he said.  “If we take her, we shall oblige our friends here, and please everybody.  It will only be for a little while, and then you can have your old colored mammy and the pickaninnies, just as you have planned.”

When Miriam came back from the kitchen, she found that the doctor had left the house and was going to his buggy at the gate.

“Oh, Ralph!” she exclaimed, “you do not know what a nice woman she is.  She is just like an old family nurse.”  And then she ran out to catch the doctor, and talk to him about Cicely.

“Your sister is a child yet,” remarked Mrs. Tolbridge, with a smile.

“Indeed she is,” said Ralph; “and she longs for what she never had—­old family servants, household ties, and all that sort of thing.  And I believe she would prefer a good old Southern mammy to a fine young lover.”

“Of course she would,” said Mrs. Tolbridge.  “That would be natural to any girl of her age, except, perhaps,” she added, “one like Dora Bannister.  I believe she was in love when she was fifteen.”

It seemed strange to Ralph that the mention of a thing of this sort, which must have happened three or four years ago, and to a lady whom he had known a very short time, should send a little pang of jealousy through his heart, but such was the fact.

There were picnic meals at Cobhurst that day; for La Fleur was not to arrive until the morrow, and they were all very jolly.

Mike was in a state of exuberant delight at the idea of having that good Mrs. Flower in the place of Molly Tooney.  He worked until nearly twelve o’clock at night to scour and brighten the kitchen and its contents for her reception.

Into this region of bliss there descended, about the middle of the afternoon, a frowning apparition.  It was that of Miss Panney, to whom Molly had gone that morning, informing her that she had been discharged without notice by that minx of a girl, who didn’t know anything more about housekeeping than she did about blacksmithing, and wanted to put “a dirty, hathen nager” over the head of a first-class Christian cook.

When she heard this news, the old lady was amazed and indignant; and she soundly rated Molly for not coming to her instantly, before she left her place.  Had she known of the state of affairs, she was sure she could have pacified Miriam, and arranged for Molly to retain her place.  It was very important for Miss Panney, though she did not say so, to have some one in the Cobhurst family who would keep her informed of what was happening there.  If possible, Molly must go back; and anyway the old lady determined to go to Cobhurst and look into matters.