isitor.

The doctor shook hands with them most cordially.

"Glad to see you both so ruddy; Cobhurst air must agree with you. And
now, before we say anything else, let me ask you a question: Have you had
your supper?"

"No," answered Ralph, "and I hope you have not."

"Your hopes are realized. I have not, and if you do not mind letting me
sup with you, I will do it."

The brother and sister, who both liked the hearty doctor, assured him
that they would be delighted to have him stay.

"The reason of my extending an invitation to myself is this: I have been
making a visit in the country, where I was detained much longer than I
expected, and as I drove homeward, I said to myself, 'Good sir, you are
hungry, and where are you going to get your evening meal? You cannot
reach home until long after the dinner hour, and moreover you have a
patient beyond Cobhurst, whom you ought to see this evening. It would be
a great pity to drive all the way to Thorbury, and then back again,
to-night. Now there are those young Cobhurst people, who, you know, have
supper at the end of the day, instead of dinner, like the regular farmers
that they are, and as you want to see them, anyway, and find out how they
are getting on, it will be well to stop there, and ten to one, you will
find that they have not yet sat down to the table.'"

"A most excellent conclusion," said Ralph, "and I will call Mike, and
have him take your horse."

Having left the doctor in the charge of her brother, Miriam hurried
downstairs to apprise Dora of the state of affairs.

"I am sorry," she said, "but we will have to give up the trick we were
going to play on Ralph, for Dr. Tolbridge has come, and will stay to
supper, and so, while you go upstairs and put on your own dress, I will
finish getting these things ready. I will see Ralph before we sit down,
and tell him all about it."

Dora made no movement toward the stairs.

"I knew it was the doctor," she said, "for I went out and looked around
the corner of the house, and saw his horse. But I do not see why we
should give up our trick. Let us play it on the doctor as well as on
your brother."

Miriam stood silent a few moments.

"I do not know how that would do," she said. "That is a very different
thing. And besides, I do not believe Ralph would let you come to the
table. You ought to have seen how angry he was when I told him the new
cook must eat with us."

"Oh, that was splendid!" cried Dora. "I will