Page:A child of the Orient (IA childoforient00vakarich).pdf/183

 "You are the baby of my new tenants, are you not?"

"I am not a baby," I answered, insulted. "I'm quite grown up, only I'm undersized—and all my frocks are three years old. But because they are in good condition, and I can't outgrow them enough, I must keep on wearing them."

She laughed. "I have been watching you since you came here, and it seems to me wonderful that you haven't been killed several times. Why do you keep on climbing those trees?"

"To get my afternoon tea up there," I answered. "Besides which it keeps me thin."

The light of amusement danced in her eyes, but she did not laugh again.

"I can see what you think in your eyes," I said. "You think that what I need is fattening. My family takes care of that; for I am made to swallow everything from vin de quinquina to any other drug they may see advertised, with or without the consent of the doctor. And if I were to get fat they would then start on the opposite drugs."

At this she burst forth into peals of laughter, and in the midst of her laughing she said: "I do believe you are older than you look."

I gave a jump and sat upright. The two slaves, who were standing over me with their arms crossed, exclaimed in unison: "She must not move, mistress, she must not move!"