  In a recent study, Armstrong et al. presented an eclipsing binary star of
about 6.2 h period with transit-like tertiary signals occurring every 204.2 d
in the {\it Kepler} public data of KIC002856960 and proposed three possible
hierarchical structures: (AB)b, (AB)C, and A(BC). We analyzed the {\it Kepler}
light curve by including a third light source and one starspot on each binary
component. The results represent that the close eclipsing pair is in a low-mass
eccentric-orbit, detached configuration. Based on 123 eclipse timings
calculated from the Wilson-Devinney binary model, a period study of the close
binary reveals that the orbital period has experienced a sinusoidal variation
with a period and a semi-amplitude of 205$\pm$2 d and 0.0021$\pm$0.0002 d,
respectively. The period variation would be produced by the light-travel-time
effect due to a gravitationally-bound third body with a minimum mass of $M_3
\sin i_3$=0.76 M$_\odot$ in an eccentric orbit of $e_3$=0.61. This is
consistent with the presence of third light found in our light-curve solution
and the tertiary signal of 204.2 d period most likely arises from the K-type
star crossed by the close eclipsing binary. Then, KIC002856960 is a triply
eclipsing hierarchical system, A(BC), consisting of a close binary with two
M-type dwarfs and a more massive K-type component. The presence of the third
star may have played an important role in the formation and evolution of the
close pair, which may ultimately evolve into a contact system by angular
momentum loss.

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics