get one. She went a week ago to visit another friend who lives
at 110 Hollis."

"Max!"

"It's a fact. I rang the bell, and was just going to ask the
maid for 'Persian' when your Aunt Cynthia herself came through
the hall and pounced on me."

"'Max,' she said, 'have you brought Fatima?'

"'No,' I answered, trying to adjust my wits to this new
development as she towed me into the library. 'No, I--I--just
came to Halifax on a little matter of business.'

"'Dear me,' said Aunt Cynthia, crossly, 'I don't know what those
girls mean. I wired them to send Fatima at once. And she has
not come yet and I am expecting a call every minute from some one
who wants to buy her.'

"'Oh!' I murmured, mining deeper every minute.

"'Yes,' went on your aunt, 'there is an advertisement in the
Charlottetown _Enterprise_ for a Persian cat, and I answered it.
Fatima is really quite a charge, you know--and so apt to die and
be a dead loss,'--did your aunt mean a pun, girls?--'and so,
although I am considerably attached to her, I have decided to
part with her.'

"By this time I had got my second wind, and I promptly decided