Elinor laughed gleefully, and looked down at her doll. "Lily told me a secret to-day," she said, "and she won't let me tell till Christmas. It's a very nice one, but I can't tell you, mamma."
"Very well. I will wait till Christmas."
"Don't you want to know it?" the child asked, anxiously.
"Not if you don't want to tell it."
"But I do, only Lily won't let me. Mamma, this morning I was a kitten."
"You were? I didn't discover it."
"I was. I had a red ribbon round my neck, and I was black, and Lily was Elinor Temple, and she played with me. See where I scratched her. Do you want me to be a kitten for you, mamma?"
"Not if you scratch, nor if you have to turn black."
That amused Elinor greatly.