"But I can't remember whether I asked you to marry me
that day we dug up the garden or not. If I did it makes--"
"No, you didn't," I interrupted.
"Well, that makes it eleven," said Max reflectively. "Pretty
near the limit, isn't it? My manly pride will not allow me to
propose to the same girl more than twelve times. So the next
time will be the last, Sue darling."
"Oh," I said, a trifle flatly. I forgot to resent his calling me
darling. I wondered if things wouldn't be rather dull when Max
gave up proposing to me. It was the only excitement I had. But
of course it would be best--and he couldn't go on at it forever,
so, by the way of gracefully dismissing the subject, I asked him
what Miss Shirley was like.
"Very sweet girl," said Max. "You know I always admired those
gray-eyed girls with that splendid Titian hair."
I am dark, with brown eyes. Just then I detested Max. I got up
and said I was going to get some milk for Fatima.
I found Ismay in a rage in the kitchen. She had been up in the
garret, and a mouse had run across her foot. Mice always get on
Ismay's nerves.
"We need a cat badly enough," she fumed, "but not a useless,
pampered thing, like Fatima. That garret is literally swarming
with mice. You'll not catch me going up there again."
Fatima did not prove such a nuisance as we had feared. Huldah
Jane liked her, and Ismay, in spite of her declaration that she
would have nothing to do with her, looked after her comfort
scrupulously.
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