The party was to be on Saturday evening, and the Friday when the Shepards had promised to arrive at the Corner House came, and Luke and Cecile went their separate ways to Milton by train. As he had not sent word by just what train he would arrive the young man did not expect anybody to meet him. He walked up from the station with his suitcase and came in sight of the old Corner House without being spied by anybody on the premises. A wintry wind was blowing, and the great shade trees about the house were almost bare of leaves. Yet the Stower homestead could never look anything but cheerful and homelike. Luke quickened his pace as he approached the gate. There was somebody inside that old house, he was quite sure, whom he longed desperately to see. He opened the gate and swung up the walk to the door. Bounding up the steps he reached forth his hand to touch the annunciator button when he caught sight of something standing on the porch beside the door--something that brought a gasp of amazement from his lips and actually caused him to turn pale. CHAPTER XXV LOOKING AHEAD Ruth had become quite excited over the prospect of the coming party. Of course, not as excited as Agnes, but sufficiently so to become more like her oldtime self. She went about with a smile on her lips and a gleam in her eyes that had been missing of late. Agnes hinted that she must have some particular reason for being so "chipper." "Somebody's coming you like, Ruthie Kenway!" the next oldest sister declared. For once Ruth did not deny the accusation. She merely blushed faintly and said nothing. Friday afternoon was a particularly busy time for Ruth. She found some things had been forgotten and she went down town to attend to them. She walked, and in coming back, hastening up Main Street, at the corner of the avenue that gave a glimpse of the railroad station, she came face to face with the queer old gentleman of the green umbrella! "Ha!" ejaculated the old man, stopping abruptly. "So! I find you at last, do I?" "Ye-yes, sir," stammered Ruth. To tell the truth, he looked so fierce, he had such a hawklike eye, and he spoke so harshly that he fairly frightened the oldest Corner House girl. She felt as though he must think she had been hiding from him purposely. "I was in your town here once before looking for you. You were not to be found," he said. "Ye-yes, sir," admitted Ruth. "I guess I was out that day." "Out? I didn't know where to hunt for you," growled the old man, shaking the green umbrella and looking as fierce, Ruth thought, as though he might like to shake her in the same way. "Ye-yes, sir," she stammered. "Don't say that again!" roared the stranger. "Speak sensibly. Or are you as big a fool as most other females!" At that Ruth grew rather piqued. She regained her self-possession and began to study the old man. "I'm not sure how foolish you consider all women to be, sir," she said. "Perhaps I am merely an average girl."