nd Ralph, gazing at them in surprise. The latter had risen when
he had heard the approaching carriage, supposing they were to have
visitors. But as the vehicle passed the door he looked at his sister in
amazement.

"It can't be," said he, "that those people have come to visit Mike?"

"Or Molly Tooney?" said Miriam.

As for Mrs. Drane and Cicely, they were shocked. They had never been
in the habit of driving into private grounds for the sake of seeing
what might be there to see, and Mrs. Drane sharply ordered the
driver to stop.

"What do you mean," said she, "by bringing us in here?"

"Oh, that's nuthin'," said Andy, with a genial grin; "they won't mind
your comin' in to look at the barn. I've druv lots of people in here to
look at that barn, though, to be sure, not since these young people has
been livin' here, but they won't mind it an eighth of an inch."

"I shall get out and apologize," said Mrs. Drane, "for this shameful
intrusion, and then you must drive us out of the grounds immediately. We
do not wish to stop to look at anything," and with this she stepped from
the little phaeton and walked back to the piazza.

Stopping at the bottom of the steps, she saluted the brother and sister,
whose faces showed that they were in need of some sort of explanation of
her arrival at their domestic threshold.

In a few words she explained how the carriage had happened to enter the
grounds, and hoped that they would consider that the impropriety was due
entirely to the driver, and not to any desire on their part to intrude
themselves on private property for the sake of sight-seeing. Ralph and
Miriam were both pleased with the words and manner of this exceedingly
pleasant-looking lady.

"I beg that you will not consider at all that you have intruded," said
Ralph. "If there is anything on our place that you would care to look at,
I hope that you will do so."

"It was only the barn," said Mrs. Drane, with a smile. "The man told us
it was a peculiar building, but I supposed we could see it without
entering your place. We will trespass no longer."

Ralph went down the steps, and Miriam followed.

"Oh, you are perfectly welcome to look at the barn as much as you wish
to," he said. "In fact, we are rather proud to find that this is anything
of a show place. If the other lady will alight, I will be pleased to have
you walk into the barn. The door of the upper floor is open, and there is
a very fine view from the back."