"You go for so long," said Brian, stifling a sigh. "You won't
forget your English friends?"

"Do you mean that you count yourself our friend?" asked Erica,
smiling.

"If you will let me."

"That is a funny word to use," she replied, laughing. "You see we
are treated as outlaws generally. I don't think any one ever said
'will you let' to me before. This is our house; thank you for
seeing me home." Then with a roguish look in her eyes, she added
demurely, but with a slight emphasis on the last word, "Good bye,
my friend."

Brian turned away sadly enough; but he had not gone far when he
heard flying footsteps, and looking back saw Erica once more.

"Oh, I just came to know whether by any chance you want a kitten,"
she said; "I have a real beauty which I want to find a nice home
for."

Of course Brian wanted a kitten at once; one would have imagined by
the eagerness of his manner that he was devoted to the whole feline
tribe.

"Well, then, will you come in and see it?" said Erica. "He really
is a very nice kitten, and I shall go away much happier if I can
see him settled in life first."