frosty waters of the Lumano, Ruth Fielding's
casement was wide open and she was busily tripping about the kitchen where
her Uncle Jabez had built the fire in the range before going to the mill.

Ben, the hired man, was out doing the chores and soon brought two brimming
pails of milk into the milk-room.

"Aunt Alviry will miss ye, Ruthie, when ye air gone back to school," Ben
said bashfully, when Ruth, with capable air, began to strain the milk and
pour it into the pans.

"Poor Aunt Alvirah!" sighed Ruth. "I hope you help her all you can when
I'm not here, Ben?"

"I jest _do_!" said the big fellow, heartily. "T'tell the truth, Ruthie,
sometimes I kin scarce a-bear Jabe Potter. I wouldn't work for him another
month, I vow! if 'twasn't for the old woman--and--and _you_."

"Oh, thank you, Ben, for that compliment," cried Ruth, dimpling and
running into the kitchen to set back the coffee-pot in which the coffee
was threatening to boil over.

The breakfast dishes were not dried when the raucous "honk! honk! honk!"
of an automobile horn sounded without. The machine stopped at the gate of
the Potter house.

"My mercy! who kin that be?" demanded Aunt Alvirah, jerkily, and then
settled back into her chair again by the window with a murmured, "Oh, my
back! and oh, my bones!"

"It can't be Tom, can it?" gasped Ruth, running to the door. "So
early--and to see Miss Gray?" for the thought that Tom Cameron was
interested in the actress still stuck in Ruth's mind.

"It doesn't sound like Tom's horn," she added, as she struggled with the
outer door. "Oh, dear! I _do_ wish Uncle Jabez would fix this lock.
There!"

The door flew open, and swung out, its weight carrying Ruth with it plump
into the arms of a big man in a big fur coat which he had thrown open as
he ascended the steps of the porch.

Ruth was almost smothered in the coat. And she would have slipped and
fallen had not the stranger held her up, finally setting her squarely on
her feet at arm's length, steadying her there and laughing the while.

"I declare, young lady," he said in a pleasant voice, "I did not expect
to be met with such cordiality. Is this the way you always meet visitors
at this beautiful, picturesque old place?"

"Oh, oh, oh! I--I--I----"

Ruth could only gasp at first, her cheeks ruddy with blushes, her eyes
timid. Her tongue actually refused to speak two consecutive, sensible
words.

"I must say, my dear," said the gentleman who, Ruth now s