GRAY DAYS AND MERRY WAYS 



foundation, but it is with Jolie-Queue that I am 

 on terms of the greatest intimacy. Her insatia- 

 ble curiosity leads her to enter my rooms and to 

 critically inspect both myself and my belongings 

 whenever closed windows or wire screens do not 

 place the matter beyond her option. But, even on 

 the occasions when all barriers are removed and 

 promiscuous visitors are admitted, Mr. Rufus sel- 

 dom ventures beyond window-sill precincts nowa- 

 days. Perhaps his better half has put her veto on 

 any greater familiarity, but it was otherwise in 

 the days of the earlier partnership. 



It was one beautiful, balmy afternoon during 

 my siesta hour that Madame Jolie-Queue made 

 her first inspecting tour of my sleeping-room. I 

 was comfortably settled on my lounge, and was 

 looking toward the maples that fairly caress my 

 windows, when the little lady suddenly appeared 

 among the yellow leaves. The windows were 

 open and the screens removed a happy combina- 

 tion of circumstances with which fortune had not 

 previously favored her. She could not afford to 

 lose the golden opportunity. Through disarming, 

 half-closed eyes I watched her, as, with many 

 tail-jerkings and switchings and much suspicious 

 chattering and frequent pauses, she advanced 



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