“It’s a wonder they don’t keep the rats down,” said Suzanne mischievously. “And your roof leaks very badly, Mr. Butterbloom.”

“Well,” said Mr. Butterbloom placidly, “when it rains I can’t get up on the roof to work, can I? And when it’s fine it doesn’t leak.”

“I’m sorry there is no milk for your tea,” said Pat.

“There’s some in the pantry if the spiders haven’t got into it.”

“They have,” said Pat briefly.

Mr. Butterbloom drank his cup of tea and champed his bacon in silence. Suzanne had just whispered solemnly to Pat, “A strong silent man,” when he wiped his mustache with the back of his hand and spoke again.

“What mought your names be?”

“This is Miss Kirk…and I’m one of the Gardiner girls from North Glen.”

“Pleased to meet you both. And so you ain’t married women?”

“No…no.” Suzanne shook her head in demure sadness.

“Neither am I. I’ve a widder woman keeping house for me at Three Corners. She isn’t much of a cook but she rubs my back for me. I have to have my back rubbed for half an hour every night before I can sleep…unless I’m lit up. I’ve heard of the Gardiners. Very genteel. I’ve never been in North Glen but I courted an old maid in South Glen for a while. I was younger then. She kept me dangling for a year and then up and married a widower. Since then I’ve sorter lost my enthusiasm for marriage.”

He relapsed into silence while he polished off another helping. When the platter was empty he sighed deeply.

“Miss, that was a breakfast. After all, I may have made a mistake in not getting married.” He fixed a fishy, speculative eye on Suzanne. “I haven’t much book-larning but I’ve a couple of farms, nearly paid for.”

Suzanne did not rise to this but she and Pat offered to wash the dishes before leaving.

“Never mind,” said Mr. Butterbloom gloomily. “I don’t wash dishes. The dog licks em clean. If you must be going, I’ll get out the hosses and haul your buzz-wagon out of the ditch.”

He refused an offer of payment sadly.

“Didn’t you cook my breakfast? But could you do with a kitten? There’s several around just the right age.”

Pat explained politely that they had all the cats needful at Silver Bush.

“It’s of no consequence. I s’pose”…with a sigh…“it’ll come in handy sometime when the cupboard is bare.”

When they got out of sight of the house Pat stopped the car so that they might have a laugh. When two people have laughed…really laughed…together they are friends for life.