"I don't believe Miriam will be content to sit still and watch anybody,"
replied Ralph. "I wonder where she can be;" and twice he called her, once
directing his voice up toward the haymows and once out into the open air.
Dora still leaned on the bar and looked out.

"It would be nice if we could see her walking somewhere in the fields,"
she said, and she and Ralph both swept the landscape with their eyes, but
they saw nothing like a moving girl in shade or sunshine.

Miss Bannister was not in the least embarrassed, as she stood here with
this young man whom she had met such a little time before. She did not
altogether feel that she was alone with him. The thought that any moment
the young man's sister might make one of the party, produced a sensation
not wholly unlike that of knowing she was already there.

The view of the far-off hills with the shadows across their sides and
their forest-covered tops glistening in the sunshine was very
attractive, and there was a blossomy perfume in the outside air which
mingled charmingly with the hay-scents from within; but Dora felt that
it would not do to protract her pleasure in these things, especially as
she noticed signs of a slight uneasiness on the face of her companion.
Probably he wanted to go and look for his sister, so they walked slowly
over the floor of the great hayloft, and out of the little door where
the hen and chickens had come in, and Ralph accompanied the young lady
to her carriage.

"I am sure I shall find Thomas and the horses fast asleep," said she,
"for I have made a long call, or, at least, have tried to make one, and
you must tell your sister that my stay proves how much I wanted to see
her. I hope she will call on me the first time she comes to Thorbury."

"Oh, I shall drive her over on purpose," said Ralph, and, with a smile,
Miss Bannister declared that would be charming.

When the carriage had rolled upon the smooth road outside of Cobhurst,
Miss Dora drew off her left glove and looked at her wrist. "Dear me!"
said she to herself, "I thought he would have squeezed those buttons
entirely through my skin, but I wouldn't have said a word for anything. I
wonder what sort of a girl his sister is. If she resembles him, I know I
shall like her."

CHAPTER VIII

MRS. TOLBRIDGE'S REPORT IS NOT ACCEPTED

A few days after Miss Bannister's call at Cobhurst, it was returned by
Ralph and Miriam, who drove to Thorbury with the brown mare and the gig.