ped with a jerk.

"Back so soon!" cried Miriam. "See what a lot of raspberries we have
picked. I will take them into the house, and then come out and get the
things you have brought."

As Miriam went around toward the kitchen, Ralph sprang to the ground, and
Dora approached him. Miss Panney could see her face under the sunbonnet.
It was suffused with the light of a smiling, beaming welcome.

"You did go quickly, didn't you?" she said. "You must be a good driver."

"I didn't want to lose any time," answered Ralph, "and I made Mrs.
Browning step along lively. As it was, I was afraid that your brother
might arrive before I got back and that I might find you were gone."

"It was a pity," said Dora, "that you troubled yourself to hurry back.
You may have wanted to do other things in Thorbury, and if Herbert missed
seeing you to-day he would have plenty of other opportunities."

Ralph laughed. "I should like to meet your brother," he said, "but I am
bound to say that I was thinking more of the new cook. I did not want her
to leave before I got back."

Dora raised her sunbonnet toward him. Miriam's steps were heard
approaching.

"You might have felt sure," she said, "that she would not have gone
without seeing you again. You have been so kind and good to her that she
would not think of doing that." Then, as Miriam was very near, she
approached the wagon. "Did you get the snowflake flour, as I told you?"
she asked. "Yes, I see you did, and I am glad you listened to my advice,
and bought only a bag of it, for you know you may not like it."

"If it is the flour you use, I know we shall like it," said Ralph; "but
still I am bound to follow your advice."

"You would better follow me, now," said Miriam, who had taken some
parcels from the wagon, "and bring that bag into the pantry. I do not
like Mike to come into our part of the house with his boots."

Ralph shouldered the bag, and Dora stepped up to him.

"I will stay with the horse until you come out again," she said, not
speaking very loudly.

Miss Panney, who had heard all that had been said, smiled, and her black
eyes twinkled. "Truly," she said to herself, "for so short an
acquaintance, this is getting on wonderfully."

Miriam, her arms full of parcels, and her mind full of household economy,
walked rapidly by Miss Panney without seeing her at all, and, entering
the dining-room, passed through it into the pantry. But when Ralph
appeared in the open doorway, the