Mrs. Drane smiled.

"You are very good indeed," she said, "to treat intrusive strangers with
such kindness, but I shall be glad to have you know that we are not mere
tourists. We are, at present, residents of Thorbury. I am Mrs. Drane, and
my daughter is engaged in assisting Dr. Tolbridge in some literary work."

"If you are friends of Dr. Tolbridge," said Ralph, "you are more than
welcome to see whatever there is to see on this place. The doctor is one
of our best friends. If you like, I will show you the barn, and perhaps
my sister will come with us."

Miriam, who for a week or more had been beset by the very unusual desire
that she would like to see somebody and speak to somebody who did not
live at Cobhurst, willingly agreed to assist in escorting the strangers,
and Cicely having joined the group, they all walked toward the barn.

There were no self-introductions, Ralph merely acting as cicerone, and
Miriam bringing up the rear in the character of occasional commentator.
Mrs. Drane had accepted the young gentleman's invitation because she felt
that the most polite thing to do under the circumstances was to gratify
his courteous desire to put them at their ease, and, being a lover of
fine scenery, she was well rewarded by the view from the great window.

The pride of possession began to glow a little within Ralph as he pointed
out the features of this castle-like barn. Mrs. Drane agreed to his
proposition to descend to the second floor. But as these two were going
down the broad stairway, Cicely drew back, and suddenly turning,
addressed Miriam.

"I have been wanting to ask a great many questions," she said, "but I
have felt ashamed to do it. I have nearly always lived in the country,
but I know hardly anything about barns and cows and stables and hay and
all that. Do the hens lay their eggs up there in your hay?"

Miriam smiled gravely.

"It is very hard to find out," she said, "where they do lay their eggs.
Some days we do not get any at all, though I suppose they lay them, just
the same. There is a henhouse, but they never go in there."

Cicely moved toward the stairway, and then she stopped; she cast her
eyes toward the mass of hay in the mow above, and then she gave a little
sigh. Miriam looked at her and understood her perfectly, moreover she
pitied her.

"How is it," said she as they went down the stairs, "that you lived in
the country, and do not know about country things?"

"We lived in suburbs,