Rilla of Ingleside | Page 5

year's time "Goldie" became so manifestly an
inadequate name for the orange kitten that Walter, who was just then
reading Stevenson's story, changed it to Dr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hyde. In his
Dr. Jekyll mood the cat was a drowsy, affectionate, domestic,
cushion-loving puss, who liked petting and gloried in being nursed and
patted. Especially did he love to lie on his back and have his sleek,
cream-coloured throat stroked gently while he purred in somnolent
satisfaction. He was a notable purrer; never had there been an Ingleside
cat who purred so constantly and so ecstatically. "The only thing I envy
a cat is its purr," remarked Dr. Blythe once, listening to Doc's resonant
melody. "It is the most contented sound in the world." Doc was very
handsome; his every movement was grace; his poses magnificent.
When he folded his long, dusky-ringed tail about his feet and sat him
down on the veranda to gaze steadily into space for long intervals the
Blythes felt that an Egyptian sphinx could not have made a more fitting
Deity of the Portal. When the Mr. Hyde mood came upon him--which it
invariably did before rain, or wind--he was a wild thing with changed
eyes. The transformation always came suddenly. He would spring
fiercely from a reverie with a savage snarl and bite at any restraining or
caressing hand. His fur seemed to grow darker and his eyes gleamed
with a diabolical light. There was really an unearthly beauty about him.
If the change happened in the twilight all the Ingleside folk felt a
certain terror of him. At such times he was a fearsome beast and only

Rilla defended him, asserting that he was "such a nice prowly cat."
Certainly he prowled. Dr. Jekyll loved new milk; Mr. Hyde would not
touch milk and growled over his meat. Dr. Jekyll came down the stairs
so silently that no one could hear him. Mr. Hyde made his tread as
heavy as a man's. Several evenings, when Susan was alone in the house,
he "scared her stiff," as she declared, by doing this. He would sit in the
middle of the kitchen floor, with his terrible eyes fixed unwinkingly
upon hers for an hour at a time. This played havoc with her nerves, but
poor Susan really held him in too much awe to try to drive him out.
Once she had dared to throw a stick at him and he had promptly made a
savage leap towards her. Susan rushed out of doors and never
attempted to meddle with Mr. Hyde again-- though she visited his
misdeeds upon the innocent Dr. Jekyll, chasing him ignominiously out
of her domain whenever he dared to poke his nose in and denying him
certain savoury tidbits for which he yearned. "'The many friends of
Miss Faith Meredith, Gerald Meredith and James Blythe,'" read Susan,
rolling the names like sweet morsels under her tongue, "'were very
much pleased to welcome them home a few weeks ago from Redmond
College. James Blythe, who was graduated in Arts in 1913, had just
completed his first year in medicine.'" "Faith Meredith has really got to
be the most handsomest creature I ever saw," commented Miss
Cornelia above her filet crochet. "It's amazing how those children came
on after Rosemary West went to the manse. People have almost
forgotten what imps of mischief they were once. Anne, dearie, will you
ever forget the way they used to carry on? It's really surprising how
well Rosemary got on with them. She's more like a chum than a
step-mother. They all love her and Una adores her. As for that little
Bruce, Una just makes a perfect slave of herself to him. Of course, he is
a darling. But did you ever see any child look as much like an aunt as
he looks like his Aunt Ellen? He's just as dark and just as emphatic. I
can't see a feature of Rosemary in him. Norman Douglas always vows
at the top of his voice that the stork meant Bruce for him and Ellen and
took him to the manse by mistake." "Bruce adores Jem," said Mrs
Blythe. "When he comes over here he follows Jem about silently like a
faithful little dog, looking up at him from under his black brows. He
would do anything for Jem, I verily believe." "Are Jem and Faith going
to make a match of it?" Mrs. Blythe smiled. It was well known that

Miss Cornelia, who had been such a virulent man-hater at one time, had
actually taken to match-making in her declining years. "They are only
good friends yet, Miss Cornelia."
"Very good friends, believe me," said Miss Cornelia emphatically. "I
hear all about the doings of the young fry." "I have no doubt that Mary
Vance sees that you