"Has Miss Evelina been good to you?"
"Oh, so good," returned Araminta, gratefully. "Why?"
"Because," said Ralph, concisely, "if she hadn't been, I'd break her neck."
"You couldn't," whispered Araminta, softly, "you're too kind. You wouldn't hurt anybody."
"Not unless I had to. Sometimes there has to be a little hurt to keep away a greater one."
"You hurt me, I think, but I didn't know just when. It was the smelly, sweet stuff, wasn't it?"
Ralph did not heed the question. He was wondering what would become of Araminta when she went back to Miss Mehitable's, as she soon must. Her ankle was healing nicely and in a very short time she would be able to walk again. He could not keep her there much longer. By a whimsical twist of his thought, he perceived that he was endeavouring to wrap Araminta in cotton wool of a different sort, to prevent Aunt Hitty from wrapping her in her own particular brand.
"The little cat," said Araminta, fondly. "I thought perhaps it would come to-day. Is it coming when I am well?"
"Holy Moses!" ejaculated Ralph. He had never thought of the kitten again, and the poor child had been waiting patiently, with never a word. The clear grey eyes were upon him, eloquent with belief.
"The little cat," replied Ralph, shamelessly perjuring himself, "was not old enough to leave its mother. We'll have to wait until to-morrow or next day. I was keeping it for a surprise; that's why I didn't say anything about it. I thought you'd forgotten."