Page:Saxe Holm's Stories, Series Two.djvu/325

Rh "It 's no such thing!" she exclaimed. "Do you think so, 'Lisha? Do you see anything in it?"

"I don't know," answered Captain 'Lisha, slowly as before. "It 's bounden queer; it' s a handsome invitation, but it 's bounden queer;" and that was all that could be got out of Captain 'Lisha.

"Well, I 'm goin to answer this letter myself," said Mrs. Bennet resolutely. "I aint no hand to letter-write; but I 'm goin to write this time myself."

"Oh, mother, will you?" exclaimed Tilly, with great animation. "That 's good. I was dreading it so."

"Humph!" said Mrs. Bennet. "When I was your age, I 'd ha' jumped at the chance of getting letters from most anybody, ef I 'd ha' been cooped up 's you are on a narrow strip o' what 's neither land nor water. But you need n't answer Mr. Hale's letter if you don't want to. I can make out to write something that 'll pass muster for a letter, I reckon; and I think the man 's real friendly."

"All right, mother," said Tilly. "I 'm real glad vou 're going to write the letter. You might tell him that I was twenty-six years old last August, and see what he says to that when he writes. You 'll find I was right. I know he thinks I 'm a little girl," and Tilly laughed out a merry and mischievous laugh.

What Mrs. Bennet wrote they never knew; to neither Captain 'Lisha nor Tilly would she read her letter.