Very much the same idea was in the mind of Miss Panney, but she thought it well to speak encouragingly.  “I wish, for her brother’s sake, the girl were older,” said she:  “but housekeeping will help to mature her much more quickly than if she had remained at school.  And as for school,” she added, “it strikes me it would be a good thing for her to go back there—­after awhile.”

Dora thought this a good opinion, but before she could say anything on the subject, she lifted her eyes, and beheld Ralph Haverley walking down the street toward them.  He was striding along at a fine pace, and looked as if he enjoyed it.

“I declare,” ejaculated Miss Bannister, “here he is himself.  We shall meet him.”

“He? who?” and Miss Panney looked from side to side of the road, and the moment she saw the young man, she smiled.

It pleased her that Dora should speak of him as “he,” showing that the brother was in her mind when they had been talking of the sister.

Miss Panney drew up to the sidewalk, and Ralph stopped.

He was greatly pleased with the cordial greeting he received from the two ladies.  These Thorbury people were certainly very sociable and kind-hearted.  The sunlight was on Dora’s soul now, and it sparkled in her eyes.

“It was my other hand that I gave you when I met you before,” she said, with a charming smile.

“Yes,” said Ralph, also with a smile, “and I think I held it an uncommonly long time.”

“Indeed you did,” said Dora; and they both laughed.

Miss Panney listened in surprise.

“You two seem to know each other better than I supposed,” she said.  “When did you become acquainted?”

“We have met but once before,” replied Dora, “but that was rather a peculiar meeting.”  And then she told the story of her call at Cobhurst, and of the mare’s forelock, and the old lady was delighted with the narration.  She had never planned a match which had begun so auspiciously.  These young people must be truly congenial, for already a spirit of comradeship seemed to have sprung up between them.  But of course that sort of thing could not be kept up to the desirable point without the assistance of the sister.  In some way or other, that girl must be managed.  Miss Panney determined to give her mind to it.

With Ralph standing close by the side of the phaeton, the reins lying loose on the back of the drowsy roan, and Dora leaning forward from her seat, so as to speak better with the young man, the interview was one of considerable length, and no one seemed to think it necessary that it should be brought to a close.  Ralph had come to attend to some business in the town, and had preferred to walk rather than drive the brown mare.

“Did you ever catch that delightfully obstinate creature?” cried Dora.  “And did you give your sister a drive in the gig?”

“Oh, yes,” said Ralph, “I easily caught her again, and I curried and polished her up myself, and trimmed her mane and tail and fetlocks, and since she has been having good meals of oats, you can hardly imagine what a sleek-looking beast she has become.  We drove her into Thorbury when Miriam returned your call.  I am sorry you were not at home, so that you might have seen what a change had come over Mrs. Browning.”