"Oh, just the same! all agog to see you, like every one else. I was in there yesterday, and he was making every kind of candy you had ever liked since you were a baby, so he'd be sure to have the right thing on hand. And Mr. Bygood was so excited about your coming he got no nap yesterday, and Miss Egeria was so worried! But Miss Almeria told her joy was the best thing for the aged, so she cheered up. My dear, I think you'll have to go and see them _all_ to-morrow, or they will all pass away, and there will be no Cyrus left. _Kitty!_" "Yes, dear!" At Nelly's explosive utterance of her name, Kitty, whose toilet had been progressing while they talked, paused, slipper in hand. "What is it, Nelly?" "Oh, nothing! that is--well, Mother just wanted me to say that we hope you will come to live with us!" "Why, Nelly!" Nelly went on with a rush. "I know the house is small and crowded, but just listen! The boys are _dying_ to have you, simply dying! So they will sleep in the barn-chamber, and Zephine and I will take their room, and you will have ours. We've got it all planned out, and the boys have always wanted to have the barn-chamber, and they will fit it up themselves, so you see it will be the most convenient thing in the world, besides making us all so happy we want to dance whenever we think of it. Now, Kitty, say you'll think about it? Of course, you can't decide this moment, and of course the other houses are bigger, and you may say some of them are lonely--the people, not the houses!--but you _will_ think about it, Kitty, won't you, and remember that we spoke first!" Kitty's eyes were wide with astonishment, but full of affection. "Of course I will, Nelly! Why, I never heard of anything so kind in my life. Thank your dear mother a thousand times, and tell her--but I shall tell her myself. There's the bell! Come along. I'm sure Sarepta has pop-overs for us!" Sarepta had pop-overs for them, marvelous efflorescences of brown and gold, such as all Europe could not afford. Kitty exclaiming to this effect, Sarepta grimly supposed they hadn't the faculty, and drew attention to the creamed chicken and oysters, which were done the way Kitty used to like 'em, though Sarepta presumed she'd learned newer-fangled ways over there. Mebbe she wouldn't care. Reassured on this point, she handed the fried potatoes with a challenging air--she _knew_ no one could beat her there--and retired, to count over every word Kitty had said and store it away for future need.