Further Chronicles of Avonlea

together for good after all. But when I think of the anguish of mind which Ismay and I underwen

I can worry along comfortably with a nice, matronly old tabby who can take care of h

them. She firmly believed that Ismay and I really liked cats deep down in our hearts, but that, owing to some

han affection. She would have taken ten times the comfort in a good, common puss that she did in that spoiled beauty. But a Persian cat with a recorded pedigree and a market v

it should take cold and die. Ismay and I used to wish that it would-we were so tired of hearing about it and its whims. But we did not say so to Aunt Cynthia. She would probably never have spoken to us again and there was no wisdom in offending Aunt Cynthia. When you have an unencumbered aunt, with a fat bank account, it is just as well to keep on good terms w

's name was Fatima-and, if it was wicked of us to wish for

e in a phaeton, drawn by a fat gray pony, but somehow Aunt Cynthia always gave you

oked and the bread was sour. Moreover, Huldah Jane Keyson, our tried and trusty old family nurse and cook and general "boss," had what she called the "realagy" in her shoulder; and, though Huldah Jane i

came Aunt Cynthia

Cynthia, sniffing,

your range very badl

an one might expect

hout a man abo

Max hadn't been in for four whole days and, though nobody wanted to se

know. I imagine that pretty Anne Shirley, who is visiting Ella Kimball, doesn't. I saw her and Dr. Irving out walking this afternoon

Max Irving so often that I had lost count. I was furi

you," I said, smoothly. "Yo

," said Au

and again?" I asked, smilingly. Right well

do it once too often and find yourself taken at your word. T

oveliest eyes I ever saw. She would be just t

n't drive out here to-day in all this wind to talk sense into you concerning Max. I'm going

!" I ex

nd you always warm her milk before you give it to her

esides, if I betrayed any unwillingness, Aunt Cynthia would be sure to put it down to grumpiness over what she had s

happen to her. It will do you good to have a little responsibility. And you will have a chance to find o

smay, when the door closed behind Aunt Cynthia. "I won't touch h

ia took our consent for granted. And you know, as well as I do,

Aunt Cynthia will hold us re

irley is really engag

d curi

, absently. "Does she eat anything bu

you think Max has really

relief it will be

elcome to Max if she wants him. I certainly do not. Ismay Meade, if that stove doesn'

ou don't even know her," protested Ismay.

bout Fatima," I

said

thought the way she said "

to me again. Of course I said no, as usual, but I was rather pleased. Max had been proposing to me about every two months for two years. Sometimes, as in this case, he went three months, and then I always wondered why. I concluded that he could not be really interested in Anne Shirley, and I was relieved. I didn

an counting on his fingers. When he got as far

s it?"

," he said. "But I can't remember whether I asked you to marr

idn't," I

it, isn't it? My manly pride will not allow me to propose to the same gir

ull when Max gave up proposing to me. It was the only excitement I had. But of course it would be best-and he could

ow I always admired those gray-eyed

I detested Max. I got up and said I

been up in the garret, and a mouse had run acr

, pampered thing, like Fatima. That garret is literally swa

that she would have nothing to do with her, looked after her comfort scrupulously. She even used to get up in the m

d as if she had been dissolved into thin air. We left her one afternoon, curled up asleep in her basket b

ima out of her sight the whole time, save once for three minutes when she ran up to the garret f

ouses, and the woods behind the house, like wild creatures, calling Fat

she'll catch her de

ll never f

ods and over the field as fast as my feet could carry me, thanki

gold during the awful week that followed. We did not dare advertise, lest Aunt Cynthia should see it; but we inquired far and wide for a white Persian cat with a blue spot on its tail, and

urned away an old woman with a big, yellow tommy which she insisted must be ours-"cause it kem to

Max. "She must have perished

smay, dismally. "I had a presentiment of tro

ent before, but Ismay is good at hav

elplessly. "Max, can't you find s

"Some one may have one for sale. If so, you must buy it, and palm it off on yo

a blue spot on h

or a cat with a blue

a

aid Ismay dolefully. "Fatima was

her way out of it. It will cost us a good deal more if we lose Aunt Cynthia's favor. She is quite

ant daily. We asked any one who had a white Persian cat, with a blue spot on the

later. It was a type-written screed from Halifax stating that the writer had for sale a white Persian cat answering to our description. The price was a

blue spot may be too big or too small or not in the right place. I consistentl

ried out. The postmaster's boy was there with a telegram. I

" cried Ismay, b

nt Cynthia. She had wired us to send Fa

ready to rush into the breach with a

ax at once. You must go to-morrow morning. Go right to 110 Hollis Street and ask for 'Persian.' If the cat lo

pends,"

im. This was

thia will be deceived after all, even if she be short-sighted. Buying a cat in a joke

said, on the

lly one of the family, or had any reasonable prospect of being so, I woul

and went ou

, please

black street cat to Aunt Cynthia, and swear that it is Fatima. I'll get you out of the scrape, if I have to prove that you never had Fatima, that she is safe in

e content you?" I

thi

Anne Shirley! I knew in my secret soul that life would be a dreadfully dismal thing if Max were not around somewhere. Besides, I w

l," I sai

was all right. The evening of the following day he was back in Spenc

h and laughed unt

Ismay severely. "If Sue and I could

x. "If you knew what it cost me to keep a straight face

r pity's sake tell us

to 110 Hollis Street, but-see here! Didn't you te

it

m next time you get one. She went a week ago to

ax

to ask the maid for 'Persian' when your Aunt Cynth

id, 'have you

w development as she towed me into the library. 'No, I

mean. I wired them to send Fatima at once. And she has not come yet and

ed, mining deep

I answered it. Fatima is really quite a charge, you know-and so apt to die and be a dead loss,'-did your au

nd I promptly decided that a judicious mi

urious coincidences,

who advertised for a

y have decided that

for the

own up to it. We clinched the dicker then and there. I passed her over your hundred and ten dollars-she t

ant Aunt Cynthia, and, remembering our

ubiously. "How shall we account for

t-is lost-but you needn't say WHEN it happened. As for the rest, Fatima is your property now, so Aunt Cy

and I was proud of him. At the gate he turned to wave me good-by, and, as he did, he glanced u

on fire!" I shrieked,

tima, or her ghost, at the

irs and we followed. Straight to the garret we rushed. There s

until the

s time," I protested, half tearfully

didn't,"

died of the cold

hasn't,"

rved,"

e must have followed Huldah Jane up here, unobserved, that day. It's a wonder you didn't hear her crying-if she did c

ollars," said Ismay, with a male

an that," I said, as I

instant, while Ismay a

as cost too much,

e was really a dear. Nicene

are married you will have to

a," said Ma