“Oh, this is glorious, isn’t it, Evelyn?” cried Celia, over her shoulder.

Doctor Forester glanced from her to the young girl on the seat beside him, smiling at both.  “I’m glad you put your trust in the chauffeur so implicitly.  It took me some time to get used to him, but he proves worthy of confidence.  I wouldn’t drive my own machine a block—­never have.  Yes, it’s delightful to go whirling along over the country in this way.  I suppose you don’t know where I’m taking you?”

“I don’t think we much care,” Celia answered, and Evelyn nodded.  Both were pink-cheeked and bright-eyed with the delight of the motion.

The doctor did not explain where they were going until they had nearly reached their destination.  They had passed many fine country places all along the way, and had reached a fork in the river.  The broad road leading on up the river was left behind as they turned to the left, following the windings of the smaller stream.

The character of the houses along the way had changed at once.  They had become comfortable farmhouses, with now and then a place of more modern aspect.

“This is the sort of thing I prefer,” Doctor Forester announced, with satisfaction.  “I wouldn’t give a picayune to own one of those castles, back there.  But down here I’m going to show you my ideal of comfort.”

Fred turned in at a gateway and drove on through orchards and grove to a house behind the trees on the river bank.

“Doesn’t that look like home?” exclaimed the doctor, as they alighted.  “Well, it is home!  I bought it yesterday, just as it stands.  Nothing fine about it, outside or in.  I wanted it to run away to when I’m tired.  I’m not going to tell anybody about it except—–­”

“Except every one he meets,” Fred said, gaily, to Celia, leading her toward the wide porch overlooking the river, about which the May vines were beginning to cluster profusely.  “He can’t keep it a secret.  I may as well warn you he’s going to invite you and the whole family out here for a fortnight in June.  So if you don’t want to come you have a chance to be thinking up a reasonable excuse.”

“As if we could want one!  What a charming plan for us!  Does he really mean to include all of us?”

“Every one, under both roofs.  I assure you it’s a jolly plan for us, and I’m holding my breath till I know you’ll come.”

“What a lovely rest it will be for Charlotte!” murmured Celia, thinking at once, as usual, of somebody else.  “She won’t own it, but she’s really had a pretty hard winter.”

“So I should imagine, for the first year of one’s married life.  I’m afraid I couldn’t be as hospitable as she and her husband—­not all at once, you know.  Do you think it’s paid?”

“What?  Having the three through the winter?” Celia glanced at Evelyn, who at the other end of the long porch with Doctor Forester was gazing with happy eyes out over the sunlit river.  “Oh, I’m sure Charlotte and Andy would both say so.  In Evelyn’s case I think there’s no doubt about it.  From being a delicate little invalid she’s come to be the healthy girl you see there.  Not very vigorous yet, of course, but in a fair way to become so, Andy thinks.”