drive in--a girl to whom she had taken a great fancy, although she had
seen her for so short a time.

"Would they want to stay long?" she asked, without turning her head.

The doctor saw his opportunity and embraced it.

"That would be your affair entirely," he said. "If they came for only a
week, it would be to you no more than a visit from friends, and to
breathe this pure country air, for even that time, would be a great
pleasure and advantage to them both."

Miriam turned her bright eyes on her brother.

"What do you say, Ralph?" she asked.

The lord of Cobhurst, who had allowed his sister to tell of the visit of
the Dranes, had been thinking what a wonderful piece of good luck it
would have been, if, instead of these strangers, Dora Bannister and her
family had desired to find quarters in a pleasant country house for a few
summer weeks. He did not know her family, nor did he allow himself to
consider the point that said family was accustomed to an expensive style
of living and accommodation, entirely unlike anything to be found on a
ramshackle farm. He only thought how delightful it would be if it were
Dora who wanted to come to Cobhurst.

As Ralph looked upon the animated face of his sister, it was easy enough
to see that the case as presented by the doctor interested her very much,
and that she was awaiting his answer with an eagerness that somewhat
surprised him.

"And you, little one, would you like to have these ladies come to us?"

"Yes, I would," said Miriam, and then she stopped. There was much more
she could have said, which crowded itself into her mind so fast that she
could scarcely help saying it, but it would have been contrary to the
inborn spirit of the girl to admit that she ever felt lonely in this dear
home, or that, with a brother like Ralph, she ever craved the
companionship of a girl. But it was not necessary to say any more.

"If you want them, they shall come," said Ralph, and if it had been the
Tolbridges or Miss Panney whose society his sister desired, his assent
would have been given just as freely.

In fifteen minutes everything was settled and the doctor was driving
away. He was in good spirits over the results of his mission, for that
morning La Fleur had waylaid him as he went out and again had spoken to
him about the possibility of hiring a little house in the suburbs.

"I am sure this arrangement will suit our good cook," he thought; "but as
for its continuance, we must