"I wouldn't have had him see me that way for anything."

Now Miriam was angry. There was nothing to be ashamed of, that she could
see, and it was certainly very rude in Miss Bannister to drop her
bottle, and nearly push her over in her haste to get away from her and
her poor calf.

The person who had been approaching the barn now entered, but it was
not Ralph Haverley. It was a shorter and a stouter young man, with
side whiskers.

"Why, Herbert!" exclaimed Dora, in a tone of surprise and disappointment,
"have you got back already?"

Her brother smiled. "I haven't got back," he said, "for I haven't been
anywhere yet. I had not gone a mile before one of the springs of the
buggy broke, and it keeled over so far that I came near tumbling out. It
happened at a place where there were no houses near, so I drew the buggy
to the roadside, took out the horse, and led him back. I heard voices in
here, and I came in. I must go and look for Mr. Haverley, and ask him to
lend me a vehicle in which we may return home."

Dora stood annoyed; she did not want to return home; at least, not so
soon. She had calculated on Herbert making a long stay with Mrs. Dudley.

"I suppose so," she replied, in an injured tone; "but before we say
anything else, Herbert, let me introduce you to Miss Haverley."

She turned, but in the corner to which she directed her eyes, she saw
only a calf; there was no young person in silk attire. The moment that
Miriam perceived that the man who came in was not her brother, but the
brother of some one else, her face had crimsoned, she had pushed away the
unfortunate calf, and, springing to her feet, had darted into the shadows
of an adjoining stall. From this, before Dora had recovered from her
surprise at not seeing her, Miriam emerged in the costume of a neatly
dressed school-girl, with her skirts just reaching to the tops of her
boots. It had been an easy matter to slip off that expansive silk gown.
She advanced with the air of defensive gravity with which she generally
greeted strangers, and made the acquaintance of Mr. Bannister.

"I am sure," she said, when she had heard what had happened, "that my
brother will be very glad to lend you the gig. That is the only thing we
have at present which runs properly."

"A gig will do very well, indeed," said Mr. Bannister. "We could not want
anything better than that; although," he continued, "I am not sure that
my harness will suit a two-wheeled vehicle."

"Oh