singing in her heart a deep, grave voice saying, --

"My brave young friend!"


Chapter X

"A humble bard presents his respects to my Lady Marechal Niel, and begs her
to step down to the gate for about two minutes."

The note was handed to Ruth early the next morning as she stood in the
kitchen beating up eggs for an omelette for her mother's breakfast. A
smile of mingled surprise and amusement overspread her face as she read;
instinctively turning the card, she saw, "Herbert Kemp, M. D.," in simple
lithograph.

"Do I look all right, Mary?" she asked hurriedly, placing the bowl on the
table and half turning to the cook as she walked to the door. Mary
deliberately placed both hands on her hips and eyed her sharply.

"And striped flannel dresses and hairs in braids," she began, as she always
did, as if continuing a thought, "being nice, pretty flannel and nice,
pretty braids, Miss Ruth do look sweet-like, which is nothing out of the
common, for she always do!"

The last was almost shouted after Ruth, who had run from the cook's
prolixity.

As she hurried down the walk, she recognized the doctor's carriage,
containing the doctor himself with Bob in state beside him. Two hands went