Page:Further Chronicles of Avonlea (1920).djvu/30

6 ask, “What if anything happens to her while you are away?”

“It is to prevent that, I’m leaving her with you,” said Aunt Cynthia. “You simply must not let anything happen to her. It will do you good to have a little responsibility. And you will have a chance to find out what an adorable creature Fatima really is. Well, that is all settled. I'll send Fatima out tomorrow.”

“You can take care of that horrid Fatima beast yourself,” said Ismay, when the door closed behind Aunt Cynthia. “I won’t touch her with a yardstick. You had no business to say we'd take her.”

“Did I say we would take her?” I demanded, crossly. “Aunt Cynthia took our consent for granted. And you know, as well as I do, we couldn’t have refused. So what is the use of being grouchy?”

“If anything happens to her Aunt Cynthia will hold us responsible,” said Ismay darkly.

“Do you think Anne Shirley is really engaged to Gilbert Blythe?” I asked curiously.

“I’ve heard that she was,” said Ismay, absently. “Does she eat anything but milk? Will it do to give her mice?”

“Oh, I guess so. But do you think Max has really fallen in love with her?”