on had said.

"And I think myself, sir," she added, "that Miss Ruth will be all the
better of a cheerful change. She worrits herself with fancies."

Ruth looked earnestly up at her father's face, but said nothing.

"Worries herself?" repeated Mr. Lorimer, with a puzzled frown. "What can
she have to worry about? Is there anything you want, my dear?" he said,
taking hold of Ruth's little hot hand and bending over her.

The moment had come. Ruth gathered all her courage, sat upright, and
fixing an entreating gaze upon him said:

"I want to see my best friend."

"Your best friend, eh?" he answered, smiling as if it were a very slight
affair. "One of your little cousins, I suppose? Well, you're going to
Summerford, you know, and then you'll see them all. I forget their
names. Tommie, Mary, Carry, which is it?"

Ruth gave a hopeless little sigh. She was so tired of these cousins.

"It's none of them," she said shaking her head. "I don't want any of
them."

"Who is it, then?"

"It's the kitchen cat."

Mr. Lorimer started back with surprise at the unexpected words.

"The kitchen cat!" he repeated, looking distractedly at Nurse. "Her best
friend! What does the child mean?"

"Miss Ruth has fancies, sir," she began with a superior smile. But she
did not get far, for at that word Ruth started to her feet in
desperation.

"It isn't a fancy!" she cried; "it's a _real_ cat. I know it very well
and it knows me. And I _do_ want to see it so. _Please_ let it come."

The last words broke off in a sob.

Mr. Lorimer lifted her gently on to his knee.

"Where is this cat?" he said, turning to Nurse with such a frown that
Ruth thought he must be angry. "Why hasn't Miss Ruth had it before if
she wanted it?"

"Well, I believe there _is_ a cat somewhere below, sir," she replied in
an injured tone; "but I'd no idea, I'm sure, that Miss Ruth was
worritting after it. To the best of my knowledge she's only seen it
once. She's so fond of making believe that it's hard to tell when she
_is_ in earnest. I thought it was a kind of a fancy she got in her head
when she was ill."

"Fetch it here at once, if you please."

Nurse hesitated.

"It's hardly a fit pet for Miss Ruth, sir."

"At once, if you please," repeated Mr. Lorimer. And Nurse went.

Ruth listened to this with her breath held, almost frightened at her own
success. Not only was the kitchen cat to be admitted, but it was to be
brought by the very hands of Nurse hersel