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“Seventeen.”

“I was eighteen when I went. I didn’t know a soul in New York—I had just enough money to keep me for three months. I was a crude, callow little thing—yet I won out. Yow shall live with me. I’ll look after you as well as Aunt Elizabeth herself could do. Tell her I'll guard you like the apple of my eye. I have a dear, cozy, little flat where we'll be as happy as queens, with my adored and adorable Chu-Chin. You'll love Chu-Chin, Emily.”

“I think I’d like a cat better,” said Emily firmly.

“Cats! Oh, we couldn’t have a cat ina flat. It wouldn’t be amenable enough to discipline. You must sacrifice your pussies on the altar of your art. I’m sure you'll like living with me. I’m very kind and amiable, dearest, when I feel like it—and I generally do feel like it—and I never lose my temper. It freezes up ocasionally, but, as I told you, it thaws quickly. I bear other people’s misfortunes with equanimity. And I never tell any one she has a cold or that she looks tired. Oh, I’d really make an adorable housemate.”

“I’m sure you would,” said Emily, smiling.

“I never saw a young girl before that I wanted to live with,” said Miss Royal. “You have a sort of luminous personality, Emily. You'll give off light in dull places and empurple drab spots. Now, do make up your mind to come with me.”

“It is Aunt Elizabeth’s mind that must be made up,” said Emily ruefully. “If she says I can go I'll———”

Emily found herself stopping suddenly.

“Go,” finished Miss Royal joyfully. “Aunt Elizabeth will come around. I'll go and have a talk with her. I'll go out to New Moon with you next Friday night. You must have your chance.”

“I can’t thank you enough, Miss Royal, so I won’t try. But I must go now. I'll think this all over—I’m too dazzled just now to think at all. You don’t know what this means to me.”