"You sit down, too, Eagle Man," said Suzanna cordially. "We've got another shawl. Here it is." She spread it down on the ground and the Eagle Man quite gladly accepted the invitation, though his face whitened in the downward process of reaching the shawl.
"Well, madam," he began again, "most people can't afford big families these days."
Mrs. Procter smiled, but did not answer. Suzanna, sensing a criticism, spoke quickly.
"Mother can't afford them either, but she's not asked anything about it. The doctor who has charge of giving out babies stops at our gate often and looks into mother's eyes. Then he knows she'd be awful sweet to a little baby and so next time he gets around he brings one to us. Maybe one that no one else will have."
"I see," said the Eagle Man. He turned to Mrs. Procter. "Your daughter is very apt with explanations."
Mrs. Procter smiled.
"Her explanations," he continued, "are a trifle more honest than the ones I often hear."
Another little silence. The Eagle Man appeared to be thinking deeply. First he cast a glance out into the road to where his capacious vehicle stood, then he looked over at Mrs. Procter.
"I wonder, madam," he said, "if you and your family would do me the honor to drive with me."
Suzanna's eyes grew like stars, Maizie wrung her hands in a very eloquence of prayer as she awaited her mother's answer; Peter just stared, speech stricken from him; Mabel turned in her toes in her agony. The baby only was unconcerned. Finally Mrs. Procter answered: