Ralph arose, and took her hand, but she gave him no opportunity to say anything.

“Your sister and I got up this little bit of deception for you, Mr. Haverley,” she continued, “and we intended to carry it on a good deal further, but that gentleman has spoiled it all, and I want you to know that I stopped here to see your sister, and finding she had not a soul to help her, I would not leave her in such a plight, and we had a royal good time, getting the supper, and were going to do ever so many more things—­I should like to know, doctor, how you knew me.  I am sure I did not look a bit like myself.”

“You did not look like yourself, but you walked like yourself,” replied Dr. Tolbridge.  “I watched you when you first tried to toddle alone, and I have seen you nearly every day since, and I know your way of stepping about as well as I know anything.  But I must really apologize for having spoiled the fun.  I discovered you, Dora, before we had half finished supper, but I thought the trick was being played on me alone.  I had no idea that Mr. Haverley thought you were the new cook.”

“I certainly did think so,” cried Ralph, “and what is more, I intended to discharge you to-morrow morning.”

There was a lively time for a few minutes, after which Dora explained what had been said about her mind and a kitten.

“He was just twitting me with having once changed my mind—­every one does that,” she said; “and then I gave him a kitten.  That is all.  And now, before I change my dress, I will go and get some wood for the kitchen fire.  I think you said, Mr. Haverley, that the woodhouse was not far away.”

“Wood!” cried Ralph; “don’t you think of it!”

Miriam burst into a laugh.

“Oh, you ought to have heard the lord of the manor declare that he would not carry fuel for the cook,” she cried.

Ralph joined in the laugh that rose against him, but insisted that Dora should not change her dress.

“You could not wear anything more becoming,” he said, “and you do not know how much I want to treat the new cook as one of the family.”

“I will wear whatever the lord of the manor chooses,” said Dora, demurely, and was about to make reference to his concluding remark, but checked herself.

When the two girls joined the gentlemen on the porch, which they did with much promptness, having delegated the greater part of their household duties to Mike, who could take a hand at almost any kind of work, Dr. Tolbridge announced that he must proceed to visit his patient.

“Are you coming back this way, doctor?” asked Dora.  “Because if you are, would it be too much trouble for you to look for our buggy on the side of the road, and to bring back the cushions and the whip with you?  Herbert may think that in this part of the country the people are so honest that they would not steal anything out of a deserted buggy, but I do not believe it is safe to put too much trust in people.”