Ray turned to his companion: "What plan have my Afton friends arranged now?" he asked.
"How should I know?" she answered, demurely. Ray looked down into the bright eyes that gazed up into his, but if they knew what the matter was that Mr. Carleton desired to "talk over," they kept their secret well. He could not even tell whether the fair girl before him had any knowledge of that matter or not, though he strongly suspected she had.
"My friends mean to ruin me by doing too much for me," he finally said.
"Few would think so, judging from the effect of the past favors on you, sir," she remarked, significantly.
Ray's face grew thoughtful instantly. "I have tried to show them I appreciated their favors in the only way I could—by making the most of myself," he replied.
"No one who knows you can doubt that," she responded, with tones of mingled admiration and pride, while a bright smile came to her lips and a far-off look to her eyes, as though she had thought of something peculiarly pleasant to herself.
He had no time to reply, for the train was at the Afton station, and he assisted Mrs. Lawton and Daisy to a carriage, while Edward looked out for the baggage; then all drove off toward the Lawton cottage. As they turned on to the avenue, General Squire's handsome equipage dashed by them, and to Ray's astonishment he saw his brother Tom sitting opposite the general and his daughter, evidently on his way to the Squire mansion for the night. The comical look that passed over his face at the discovery was evidently noticed by Tom, who raised his hat with a remarkable flourish in return. Possibly Miss Squire had also noticed the expression on Ray's face, for she looked up toward the young man in front of her with an amused smile.
Not far from nine o'clock the next morning Ray rang the door bell at the First Church parsonage, and was immediately shown to Mr. Carleton's study. That gentleman on his entrance whirled around in his study chair, and asked: "Ray, what are you going to do this summer?"
"Anything I can find to do," replied Ray, taking an easy chair, and looking over to his pastor with a smile.
"Well, I've got work for you," continued Mr. Carleton; "or, rather, the Lord has work for you at Wenton."