because she was
different from what she had been a few minutes before, but because he
looked upon her differently. As he approached, every word that she had
spoken to him that day crowded into his memory. The last thing she had
said was that she would wait until he returned to her, and here she was,
waiting. When he spoke, his manner had lost the free-heartedness of a
little while before; there was a slight diffidence in it.

Hearing that Miss Panney was in the house, Dora turned her bonnet
downward, and she also frowned a little.

"Why should that old person come in this very morning?" she thought.

But in an instant the front of the bonnet was raised toward Ralph, and
upon the young face under it there was not a shadow of dissatisfaction.

"Of course I must go in and see her," she said, and then, speaking as if
Ralph were one on whom she had always been accustomed to rely for
counsel, "do you think I need go upstairs and change my dress? If this is
good enough for you and Miriam, isn't it good enough for Miss Panney?"

As Ralph gazed into the blue eyes that were raised to his, it was
impossible for him to think of anything for which their owner was not
good enough. This impression upon him was so strong that he said, with
blurting awkwardness, that she looked charming as she was, and needed not
the slightest change. The value of this impulsive remark was fully
appreciated by Dora, but she gave no sign of it, and simply said that if
he were suited, she was.

They were moving toward the house when Dora suddenly laid her hand
upon his arm.

"You have forgotten the horse, Mr. Ralph," she said.

The touch and the name by which she called him for the first time made
the young man forget, for an instant, everything in the world, but the
girl who had touched and spoken.

"Have you anything to tie her with? Oh, yes, there is a chain on
that post."

As Ralph turned the horse toward the hitching-post, Dora ran before him,
and stood ready with the chain in her hand.

"Oh, no," she said, as he motioned to take it from her, "let me hook it
on her bridle. Don't you want to let me help you at all?"

As side by side Dora and Ralph entered the drawing-room, Miss Panney
declared in her soul that they looked like an engaged couple, coming to
ask for her blessing. And when Dora saluted her with a kiss, and, drawing
up a stool, took a seat at her feet, the old lady gave her her blessing,
though not audibly.

As Miss Panney