She looked with sleepy eyes at Clematis, and crawled down into her lap.
Then Clematis smoothed her and patted her, till she purred her very sweetest purr.
“Ah,” said Katie. “It’s a fine cat. It caught a big rat in the night, and brought it in, as proud as pie.”
“Do you think they will let me keep her?” asked Clematis.
“Oh, I guess so. If she catches the rats, she will be welcome here. You can be sure of that. I hate rats.”
While Clematis and Deborah were having such a good time in the kitchen, Mrs. Snow took Miss Rose to her room.
“Well, Miss Rose, have you found out anything about that strange little child?”
“Not very much yet. She talks very little, and has had very little care.”
“What makes you think so?”
“Why, the poor child didn’t know what a tooth brush was for. She said she always left her clothes in a pile by the bed, because she could find them all in the morning.”