"'Ain't we a precious pair of fools?' and says he, 'Yes,'" interrupted the squire, mimicking her. "Oh, you're a nice gal—you're a pretty young lady!"
"Yes, ain't I, now? You and I are of one opinion there, exactly. Ain't you proud of me?"
"Proud of you, you barefaced little wretch! I'd like to twist your neck for you!" thundered the squire.
"Better not, Guardy; you'd be hung for man-slaughter if you did, you know."
"You don't call yourself a man, I hope!" said Louis.
"Well, if I don't, I'm a girl—which is a thousand times nicer. And speaking of girls, reminds me that Miss Hagar's got the dearest, darlingest, beautifulest little girl you ever set your eyes on."
"Miss Hagar?" they all exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes, to be sure. Law! you needn't look so astonished; this is a free country. And why can't Miss Hagar have a little girl, if she wants to, as well as anybody else, I'd like to know?" exclaimed Gipsy, rather indignantly.
"To be sure," said Louis, who took the same view of the case as Gipsy.
"Where did she get it?—whose little girl is it?" inquired Lizzie, slightly roused from her languor by the news.