eep down which she was rushing and
toward what pit her path inclined. Be that as it may, she contentedly
munched the second pail of food which Nannie brought her, and granted
the trembling Bridget peace and quiet in which to extract the cream
and invoke the saints.

XII

Soon after the milking ordeal was at an end Nannie started over to the
house of her cousins, the Misfits. It chanced that she happened upon
this ill-mated couple in the nick of time.

"Glad to see you, Nan," exclaimed Mr. Misfit. "I have a day off, and
Mrs. Misfit wants to take the boat trip. You must go with us."

"Yes, we've never been, and I told Henry we really ought to go! I am
tired of being asked if I don't think it's pleasant, and having to say
I don't know anything about it."

"You'll have to fly around and get ready, then, for we must take the
next train in if we want to catch that boat. You'll go," he added as
his wife slipped away to dress, "won't you, Nannie?"

Nannie stood regarding him with one of her elfin looks.

"You need me, don't you?" she said.

He laughed rather awkwardly. He always felt uncomfortable when Nannie
looked at him that way.

"Why, yes, of course. We shall be glad of your company."

"I know why you wanted me to-day," said Nannie later on, when she was
sitting out on the deck of the boat with him while Mrs. Misfit was
taking a nap in the saloon.

He turned and looked at her, and saw it would be of no use to try to
evade.

"There's something uncanny about this girl," he said to himself.

"You wanted me--you and Lillie both wanted me to stand between you.
You couldn't endure each other's company for a day. It would bore you
to death."

"You are right," he said simply. "It would bore me. I don't know about
Lillie."

"Well, I can tell you," said Nannie, speaking in no uncertain tone.
"You are just as uninteresting to her as she is to you."

He caught his breath.

"You are complimentary, I must say."

"I know all about it. It's something like this with Steve and me. We
don't bore each other, but we don't know what to say."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Nannie sat silent for a moment. Evidently she was revolving matters
mentally. Finally she turned to her companion, and with a roguish
smile, which shone like a sunbeam out from overhanging curls, said:

"I suppose I'll have to 'perk up' a little."

"I don't speak Hindoostanee," he replied.