CHAPTER XXIV
THE DOCTOR'S MISSION
The letter which Phoebe brought was a long and cordial one, in which Dorabegged that Miriam would come and make her a visit of a few days. Shesaid, moreover, that her brother was intending to call on Mr. Haverleyand urge him to come to their house as frequently as he could during hissister's visit. Dora said that she would enjoy having Miriam with her sovery, very much; and although the life at the dear old farm must bealways charming, she believed that Miriam would like a little change, andshe would do everything that she could to make the days pass pleasantly.
There could not have been a more cordial invitation, but its acceptancewas considered soberly and without enthusiasm.
During the past fortnight, there had been no intercourse between theBannister and Haverley families. Dora, it is true, had written, but herletters had not been called for, and Ralph had not been to her house toinquire about the dog. The reason for this was that, turning over thematter in his mind for a day or two, he thought it well to mention it toMiriam in a casual way, for he perceived that it would be very unwisefor him to go to Dora's house without informing his sister and giving herhis reasons for the visit. To his surprise, Miriam strenuously opposedhis going to the Bannister house on any pretence until Mr. Bannister hadcalled upon him, and showed so much earnest feeling on the subject thathe relinquished his intention. He could see for himself that it would notbe the proper thing to do; and so he waited, with more impatience onrainy days than others, for Mr. Herbert Bannister to call upon him.
On nearly every morning of the two weeks, Dora asked her brother atbreakfast time if he were going that day to call at Cobhurst; and everytime she asked him, Herbert answered that he would go that day, if hepossibly could; but on each evening he informed her that at the hour hehad intended to start for Cobhurst a client or clients had come into theoffice, or a client or clients had been in the office and had remainedthere. A very busy man was Mr. Bannister.
Miriam's opinion on the subject had been varied. She frequently felt inher lonely moments that it would be a joy to see Dora Bannister drive inat the gate.
"If only," thought Miriam, with a sigh, "she would content herself to bea visitor to me, just as I would be to her, and not go about contrivingthings she thinks Ralph would like,--as if it were necessary that anyone should come here and do that! As for going to her house, that wouldleave poor Ralph here all by himself, or else he would be there a gooddeal, and--"
Here a happy thought struck Miriam.
"I can't go, anyway," she said aloud, "for the gig is broken;" and, herbrother coming in at that moment, she informed him, with an air of muchrelief, how the matter had settled itself.
"But I don't like matters to settle themselves in that way," said Ralph."The gig should certainly be in order by this time. I will go myself andsee the man about it, and if the new shafts are not finished, I can hirea carriage for you. There is no need of your giving up a pleasant visitfor the want of means of conveyance."
"But even if the gig were all ready for us to use, you know that youcould not go until Mr. Bannister has called," said the cruel-mindedsister.
Ralph was of the opinion that there were certain features of socialetiquette which ought to be ruthlessly trodden upon, but he could thinkof nothing suitable to say in regard to the point so frequently broughtup by Miriam, and, walking somewhat moodily to the front door, he saw Dr.Tolbridge approaching in his buggy.
The good doctor had come out of his way, and on a very busy morning, tolay before the Haverleys his project concerning Mrs. Drane and herdaughter. Having but little time, he went straight to the point, andsurprised Miriam and Ralph as much as if he had proposed to them to opena summer hotel. But, without regard to the impression he had made, heboldly proceeded in the statement of his case.
"You couldn't find pleasanter ladies than Mrs. Drane and her daughter,"he said. "The latter is copying some manuscript for me, which she coulddo just as well here as at my house--"
"Are you talking about the two ladies who were here yesterday afternoon?"interrupted Miriam.
"Here, yesterday afternoon!" cried the doctor, and now it was his turn tobe surprised.
When he had heard the story of the trespass on private grounds, thedoctor laughed heartily.
"Well," said he, "Mistress Fate has been ahead of me. The good lady is inthe habit of doing that sort of thing. And now that you know the partiesin question, what have you to say?"
Miriam's blood began to glow a little, and as she gazed out of the opendoor without looking at anything, her eyes grew very bright. In herloneliness, she had been wishing that Dora Bannister would drive in atthe gate, and here was a chance to have a very different sort of a girldrive in--a girl to whom she had taken a great fancy, although she hadseen her for so short a time.
"Would they want to stay long?" she asked, without turning her head.
The doctor saw his opportunity and embraced it.
"That would be your affair entirely," he said. "If they came for only aweek, it would be to you no more than a visit from friends, and tobreathe this pure country air, for even that time, would be a greatpleasure and advantage to them both."
Miriam turned her bright eyes on her brother.
"What do you say, Ralph?" she asked.
The lord of Cobhurst, who had allowed his sister to tell of the visit ofthe Dranes, had been thinking what a wonderful piece of good luck itwould have been, if, instead of these strangers, Dora Bannister and herfamily had desired to find quarters in a pleasant country house for a fewsummer weeks. He did not know her family, nor did he allow himself toconsider the point that said family was accustomed to an expensive styleof living and accommodation, entirely unlike anything to be found on aramshackle farm. He only thought how delightful it would be if it wereDora who wanted to come to Cobhurst.
As Ralph looked upon the animated face of his sister, it was easy enoughto see that the case as presented by the doctor interested her very much,and that she was awaiting his answer with an eagerness that somewhatsurprised him.
"And you, little one, would you like to have these ladies come to us?"
"Yes, I would," said Miriam, and then she stopped. There was much moreshe could have said, which crowded itself into her mind so fast that shecould scarcely help saying it, but it would have been contrary to theinborn spirit of the girl to admit that she ever felt lonely in this dearhome, or that, with a brother like Ralph, she ever craved thecompanionship of a girl. But it was not necessary to say any more.
"If you want them, they shall come," said Ralph, and if it had been theTolbridges or Miss Panney whose society his sister desired, his assentwould have been given just as freely.
In fifteen minutes everything was settled and the doctor was drivingaway. He was in good spirits over the results of his mission, for thatmorning La Fleur had waylaid him as he went out and again had spoken tohim about the possibility of hiring a little house in the suburbs.
"I am sure this arrangement will suit our good cook," he thought; "but asfor its continuance, we must let time and circumstances settle that."
The doctor reached home about eleven o'clock.
"What do you think it would be better to do," he said to his wife, whenhe had made his report, "to stop at Mrs. Drane's as I go out thisafternoon, or to tell Cicely about our Cobhurst scheme, and let her tellher mother?"
"The thing to do," said Mrs. Tolbridge, closing her desk, at which shewas writing, "is for me to go and see Mrs. Drane immediately, and for youto send Cicely home and give her a lot of work to do at Cobhurst. Theyshould go there this afternoon."
"Yes," said the doctor; "of course, the sooner the better; but it hasstruck me perhaps it might be well to mention the matter to Miss Panneybefore the Dranes actually leave Mrs. Brinkly. You know she was veryactive in procuring that place for them."
Mrs. Tolbridge looked at her husband, gave a little sigh, and thensmiled.
"What is your opinion of a bird," she asked, "who, fly
ing to the shelterof the woods, thinks it would be a good idea to stop for a moment andlook down the gun-barrel of a sportsman, to see what is there?"
The doctor looked at her for a moment and then, catching her point, gaveher a hearty laugh for answer, and walking to his table, took up a sheetof manuscript and carried it to the room where Miss Drane was working.
"The passage which so puzzled you," he said, "has been deciphered by Mrs.Tolbridge and myself, and reads thus: 'The philosophy of physiologicalcontrasts grows.'"
"Why, yes," said Cicely, looking at the paper; "now that you tell mewhat it is, it is as plain as can be. I will write it in the blank spacethat I have left, and here are some more words that I would like to askyou about."
"Not now, not now," said the doctor. "I want you to stop work and runhome. As soon as I can I will talk with you about what you have written,and give you some more of the manuscript. But no more work for to-day.You must hurry to your mother. You will find Mrs. Tolbridge there,talking to her about a change of quarters."
"Another holiday!" exclaimed Cicely, in surprise.
She was a girl who worked earnestly and conscientiously with theintention of earning every cent of the money which was paid to her, andthese successive intermissions of work seemed to her unbusiness-like. Butshe made no objections, and, putting away her papers, with a sigh, forshe had a list of points about which she was ready and anxious to consultthe doctor,--she went to join the consultation, which she presumedconcerned their removal from one street in Thorbury to another. But whenshe discovered the heavenly prospect which had opened before her motherand herself, her mind bounded from all thoughts of the manuscript of the"Diagnosis of Sympathy," as if it had been a lark mounting to the sky.
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