It was now quite dark, and the road appeared to be growing rougher.  Every now and then they jolted over a big stone, or sunk into a deep rut.  Ralph let down the front window.

“Are we nearly there?” he asked of the driver.

“Yes, sir,” said the man; “we are on the place now.”

“You don’t mean,” exclaimed Miriam, “that this is our road!”

“It’s a good deal washed just here,” said the man, “by the heavy rains.”

Presently the road became smoother and in a few minutes the carriage stopped.

“I am trembling all over,” said Miriam, “with thinking of being at home, and with not an idea of what it is like.”

In a moment they were standing on a broad flagstone.  Although it was dark, they could see the outline of the house before them.

“Ralph,” whispered Miriam, drawing close to her brother, “it is not a cottage.”  Without waiting for a reply she went on:  “Ralph,” she said, her hands trembling as they held his arm, “it is lordly.”

“I had some sort of an idea like that myself,” he answered; “but, my dear, don’t you think it will be well to keep this man until we go inside and see what sort of accommodations we shall find?  Perhaps we may be obliged to go back to the town.”

Miriam immediately began to ascend the broad steps of the piazza.

“Come on, Ralph,” she said, “and please don’t talk like that.”

Her brother laughed, paid the driver and dismissed him.

“Now, little girl,” he cried, “we have burned our ships, and must take what we shall find.”

“Oh, Ralph,” cried Miriam, “I couldn’t have gone back.  If there are floors to the rooms, they will do to sleep on for to-night.”

At this moment a wide front door opened, revealing a colored woman holding a lamp.

“Good evenin’,” said she; “walk in.”

When Ralph and Miriam had entered, the woman looked out the open door.

“Is you all?” she asked.

“Oh, yes,” said Ralph.

The woman hesitated a moment, looked out again, and then closed the door.

“Would you like to go to your rooms afore supper?” she asked.

The brother and sister were so absorbed in gazing about them, that they did not hear the question.  The lamp, still in the woman’s hand, gave a poor and vacillating light, but they could see a wide, long hall, tall doors opening on each side, some high-backed chairs, and other dark-colored furniture.

“Yer rooms is ready,” continued the woman; “ye can take yer pick of them.  Supper’ll be on the table the minute ye come down.  Ye’d better take this lamp, sir, and thar’s another one in the upper hall.  I expect ye two is brother and sister.  Ye’re alike as two pins of different sizes.”

“You’re right,” said Ralph, holding up the lamp, and looking about him; “but please tell me, where are the stairs?”

“Oh, yer open that glass door right in front of ye,” said the woman.  “I’d go with yer, but I smell somethin’ bilin’ over now.”