"Hateful, ungrateful little wretch!"

"Aunt Kate?"

"I am all attention, Wayneworth," she said, with inflection which should
not have been wasted on ears too young.

"Do you know, Aunt Kate, sometimes I don't know just what you're
talking about."

"No? Really? And this from your sex to mine!"

"Do you always say what you mean, Aunt Kate?"

"Very seldom."

"Why not?"

"Somebody might find out what I thought."

"Don't you want them to know what you think, Aunt Kate?" he pursued,
making a complete revolution and for the instant evading the
frisking puppy.

"Certainly not."

"But why not, Aunt Kate?"--squirming as the puppy placed a long warm lick
right below the knee.