"It 's no such thing!" she exclaimed. "Do you think so, 'Lisha? Do you see anything in it?"
"I don't know," answered Captain 'Lisha, slowly as before. "It 's bounden queer; it' s a handsome invitation, but it 's bounden queer;" and that was all that could be got out of Captain 'Lisha.
"Well, I 'm goin to answer this letter myself," said Mrs. Bennet resolutely. "I aint no hand to letter-write; but I 'm goin to write this time myself."
"Oh, mother, will you?" exclaimed Tilly, with great animation. "That 's good. I was dreading it so."
"Humph!" said Mrs. Bennet. "When I was your age, I 'd ha' jumped at the chance of getting letters from most anybody, ef I 'd ha' been cooped up 's you are on a narrow strip o' what 's neither land nor water. But you need n't answer Mr. Hale's letter if you don't want to. I can make out to write something that 'll pass muster for a letter, I reckon; and I think the man 's real friendly."
"All right, mother," said Tilly. "I 'm real glad vou 're going to write the letter. You might tell him that I was twenty-six years old last August, and see what he says to that when he writes. You 'll find I was right. I know he thinks I 'm a little girl," and Tilly laughed out a merry and mischievous laugh.
What Mrs. Bennet wrote they never knew; to neither Captain 'Lisha nor Tilly would she read her letter.
