"
"After--which?"
The young lady frowned. "It doesn't seem to me," she observed,
slowly, "as if 'category' was what she said. Does 'category' sound
right to you, Mr. Winslow?"
Jed looked doubtful. "I shouldn't want to say that it did, right
offhand like this," he drawled.
"No-o. I don't believe it was 'category.' But I'm almost sure it
was something about a cat, something a cat eats--or does--or
something. Mew--mouse--milk--" she was wrinkling her forehead and
repeating the words to herself when Mr. Winslow had an inspiration.
"'Twan't purgatory, was it?" he suggested.
Miss Barbara's head bobbed enthusiastically. "Purr-gatory, that
was it," she declared. "And it was something a cat does--purr,
you know; I knew it was. Mamma said living here was paradise
after purr-gatory."
Jed rubbed his chin.
"I cal'late your ma didn't care much for the board at Luretta
Smalley's," he observed. He couldn't help thinking the remark an
odd one to make to a child.
"Oh, I don't think she meant Mrs. Smalley's," explained Barbara.
"She liked Mrs. Smalley's pretty well, well as any one can like
boarding, you know," this last plainly another quotation. "I think
she meant she liked living here so much better than she did living
in Middleford, where we used to be."
"Hum," was the only comment Jed made. He was surprised,
nevertheless.
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