"Oh, I won't talk _over_ much," she said, glancing with her flashing
eyes round at the entire party. "But you see I am quite a stranger; and,
oh my! the place does seem lonely. You are all so stiff, I cannot quite
understand it. Is it the English fashion, please, Mr. Denvers?"

"Well, you see," answered Mrs. Denvers from the other end of the table,
"we don't know you yet."

"But I am sure all the same we shall be very good friends," said Mr.
Denvers. "May I give you a glass of wine?"

"Wine! Bless you, I'm a teetotaller," said Kitty. "Why, it isn't habits
of intoxication you'll be putting into me. I never take anything but
water, or milk when I can get it; and it isn't Miss Malone you're going
to call me is it, for if it is I tell you frankly that I'll die
entirely. I must be Kitty from this moment, or Kitty Malone, or anything
of that sort, but Kitty something it must be. Now, is it settled fair
and square, Kitty shall I be? Here's my hand on my heart; I'll die if
I'm called Miss Malone!"

Fred burst into roars of laughter.

"I say," he cried, "what an extraordinary girl you are!"

"Well, and so are you an extraordinary boy," said Kitty. "Oh, dear me, I
am hungry! Do you mind handing me over the potatoes? Why, you don't mean
to say you peel 'em. I never heard of such a thing! Why don't you have
them in their jackets?"

"Potatoes are generally mashed or peeled or something of that sort in