hill's, isn't it?" asked the stranger, with a
hesitating foot upon the threshold. "Is he at home?"

"He is expected home--he will be in his office to-morrow," Celia
answered, thinking this a new patient, and feeling justified in keeping
Doctor Churchill's first evening clear for him if she could. But the
visitor drew a sigh of relief, and came over the threshold, drawing her
children with her. Celia gave way, but the question in her face brought
the explanation:

"I reckon it's all right, if he's coming so soon. I'm his cousin, Mrs.
Peyton. These are my children. I haven't seen Andrew since he was a boy
at college, but he'll remember me. Are you--" She hesitated.

Mrs. Birch came forward. "We are the mother and sister of Mrs.
Churchill," she said, and offered her hand. "Doctor Churchill was
expecting you?"

"Well, maybe not just at this time," admitted the newcomer, without
reluctance. "I didn't know I was coming myself until just as I bought my
ticket for home. I happened to think I was within sixty miles of that
place in the North where I knew Andrew settled. So I thought we'd better
stop and see him and his new wife."

There was nothing to do but to usher her in. With a rebellious heart
Celia led Mrs. Peyton into the living-room and assisted her and the
children out of their wrappings. All sorts of strange ideas were
occurring to her. It was within the bounds of possibility that these
people were not what they claimed to be--she had heard of such things.
She was unwilling to show them to Charlotte's pretty guest-room, to
offer them refreshment, even to light the fire for them.

It was too bad, it was unbearable, that the home-coming for which she
and her mother had made such preparation should be spoiled by the
presence of these strangers. To be sure, if she was Andrew's cousin she
was no stranger to him, yet Celia could not recollect that he had ever
spoken of her, even in the most casual way.

But her hope that in some way this might prove to be a case of mistaken
identity was soon extinguished. When she had slipped away to the
kitchen, at a suggestion from her mother that the guests should be
served with something to eat, she found that information concerning Mrs.
Peyton was to be had from Mrs. Fields.

"Peyton? For the lands' sake! Don't tell me she's here! Know her? I
guess I do! Of all the unfortunate things to happen right now, I should
consider her about the worst calamity. What is she? Oh, she ain't