Page:Further Chronicles of Avonlea (1920).djvu/39

Rh I consistently refuse to believe that any good thing can come out of this deplorable affair.”

Just at this moment there was a knock at the door and I hurried out. The postmaster’s boy was there with a telegram. I tore it open, glanced at it, and dashed back into the room.

“What is it now?” cried Ismay, beholding my face.

I held out the telegram. It was from Aunt Cynthia. She had wired us to send Fatima to Halifax by express immediately.

For the first time Max did not seem ready to rush into the breach with a suggestion. It was I who spoke first.

“Max,’ I said, imploringly, “you'll see us through this, won’t you? Neither Ismay nor I can rush off to Halifax at once. You must go to-morrow morning. Go right to 110 Hollis Street and ask for ‘Persian.’ If the cat looks enough like Fatima, buy it and take it to Aunt Cynthia. If it doesn’t — but it must! You'll go, won't you?”

“That depends,” said Max.

I stared at him. This was so unlike Max.

“You are sending me on a nasty errand,” he said, coolly. “How do I know that Aunt Cynthia will be deceived after all, even if she be short-sighted. Buying a cat in a joke is a huge risk. And if she