ten," she said to herself.
"No other train after that stops at Thorbury. If he had been at home he
would have taken an early afternoon train, which was what she expected, I
suppose. It will be a great pity for him to have to go tonight, and for
no other reason than for that old trickster's telegram. If anything has
really happened, he'll get news of it in some sensible shape."

At all events, there was nothing now to be done with the telegram, so she
put it on the shelf, and set about her preparations for dinner, which had
been very much delayed.

Ralph had gone off fishing; but, before starting, he had put Mrs.
Browning to the gig and had told Cicely that as soon as her work was
finished, she must take her mother for a drive. The girl had been
delighted, and the two had gone off for a long jog through the
country lanes.

It was late in the afternoon when Ralph came striding homeward
across the fields. He was still a mile from Cobhurst, and on a bit of
rising ground when, on the road below him, he saw Mrs. Browning and
the gig, and to his surprise the good old mare was demurely trotting
away from Cobhurst.

"Can it be possible," he exclaimed, "that they have just started!" And
he hurried down toward the road. He now saw that there was only one
person in the gig, and very soon he was near enough to perceive that
this was Cicely.

"I expect you are wondering what I am doing here by myself, and where I
am going," she said, when she stopped and he stood by the gig. "I shall
tell you the exact truth, because I know you will not mind. We started
out a long time ago, but mother had a headache, and the motion of the gig
made it worse. She was trying to bear it so that I might have a drive,
but I insisted upon turning back. I took her as far as the orchard, where
I left her, and since then I have been driving about by myself and having
an awfully good time. Mother did not mind that, as I promised not to go
far away. But I think I have now gone far enough along this road. I like
driving ever so much! Don't you want me to drive you home?"

"Indeed I do!" said Ralph, and in he jumped.

"I expect Miriam must be enjoying this lovely evening," she said. "And
she will see the sun set from the beach, for Barport faces westward, and
I never saw a girl enjoy sunsets as she does. At this moment I expect her
face is as bright as the sky."

"And wouldn't you like to be standing by her?" asked Ralph.

Cicely shook her head. "No," s