d talk to him about Cicely.

"Your sister is a child yet," remarked Mrs. Tolbridge, with a smile.

"Indeed she is," said Ralph; "and she longs for what she never
had--old family servants, household ties, and all that sort of thing.
And I believe she would prefer a good old Southern mammy to a fine
young lover."

"Of course she would," said Mrs. Tolbridge. "That would be natural to any
girl of her age, except, perhaps," she added, "one like Dora Bannister. I
believe she was in love when she was fifteen."

It seemed strange to Ralph that the mention of a thing of this sort,
which must have happened three or four years ago, and to a lady whom he
had known a very short time, should send a little pang of jealousy
through his heart, but such was the fact.

There were picnic meals at Cobhurst that day; for La Fleur was not to
arrive until the morrow, and they were all very jolly.

Mike was in a state of exuberant delight at the idea of having that good
Mrs. Flower in the place of Molly Tooney. He worked until nearly twelve
o'clock at night to scour and brighten the kitchen and its contents for
her reception.

Into this region of bliss there descended, about the middle of the
afternoon, a frowning apparition. It was that of Miss Panney, to whom
Molly had gone that morning, informing her that she had been discharged
without notice by that minx of a girl, who didn't know anything more
about housekeeping than she did about blacksmithing, and wanted to put
"a dirty, hathen nager" over the head of a first-class Christian cook.

When she heard this news, the old lady was amazed and indignant; and she
soundly rated Molly for not coming to her instantly, before she left her
place. Had she known of the state of affairs, she was sure she could
have pacified Miriam, and arranged for Molly to retain her place. It was
very important for Miss Panney, though she did not say so, to have some
one in the Cobhurst family who would keep her informed of what was
happening there. If possible, Molly must go back; and anyway the old lady
determined to go to Cobhurst and look into matters.

Miss Panney was glad to find Miriam alone on the front piazza, training
some over-luxuriant vines upon the pillars; and the moment her eyes fell
upon the girl, she saw that she was dressed as a woman, and not in the
youthful costume in which she had last seen her. This strengthened the
old lady's previous impression that Ralph's sister was rapidly becoming