"Now I can tell you my plans, Ella," said she; "we are going to have a birthday party at the Hall in your honour."
"What, next Saturday week!" exclaimed Ella in joyful surprise.
"Yes, I believe that is the right day," said Mrs. Snowden with a twinkle of fun in her eyes. "I have been talking to your Grannie, and she has promised to come and spend that week-end at the Hall—of course, you are to come too. I have sent Dr. Carteret also an invitation."
Ella nearly gasped with the pleasure of it all, such a prospect seemed to take away her breath.
The days after this flew as on wings, and to add to Ella's happiness, her Grannie's health was steadily making progress in the right direction.
* * * *
"I beg your pardon!"
So said Dr. Carteret courteously as, coming out of a bookseller's shop one evening, where, as a matter of fact, he had been buying a book for little "Cinderella's" birthday, he ran full tilt upon a gentleman who was walking along the busy London street. "Why!—" Here the doctor's voice changed to one of intense surprise—"Russell, it is never you?"
"Yes, old chap, it is," was the pleased reply. "Who'd have thought of coming upon you like this?"
"Well, you are certainly the last person I should have expected to see. Here, come along to my club; it's close by. I must get to the bottom of this sudden appearance of yours."