GRAY DAYS AND MERRY WAYS 



and stampings, ridiculously suggestive of the per- 

 formances of a miniature dancing bear. 



The creature who was denouncing me was so 

 small and her indignation was so great that, even 

 at the risk of driving her away I could not re- 

 strain my mirth. I uttered no sound and re- 

 mained with half-closed eyes, but I fairly shook 

 with laughter. To my surprise the slight earth- 

 quake did not disturb her. She continued her de- 

 nunciations until the theme was exhausted or the 

 indignation spent, when she subsided and jumped 

 to the floor. I expected to see her pursue her way 

 toward the desk and out the window, but, instead 

 of taking the usual route, she began ascending the 

 lounge at the point just back of my head. Her 

 idea was evidently to investigate me closely. 

 Again she was beyond the range of vision, but, 

 as on the occasion of her visit to the chimney, 

 I was able to follow her, squeaks of apprehension 

 and curiosity punctuating each step of her jerky 

 course. 



It was my turn to be apprehensive when she 

 arrived at my head. Remembering an occasion 

 on which a pet robin had thought my hair worthy 

 of consideration for a nest-lining, I braced my- 

 self to meet Madame Jolie-Queue's possible re- 

 [81] 



