English
Whenallissaidandallisdone
‘Tisonlyloveoftwomakesone.
—Whitefoot.
LittleMissDainty,themostbeautifulandwonderfulWoodmouseinalltheGreatWorld,accordingtoWhitefoot,wasveryshyandverytimid.
IttookWhitefootalongtimetomakeherbelievethathereallycouldn’tlivewithouther.
Atleast,shepretendednottobelieveit.
Ifthetruthwereknown,littleMissDaintyfeltjustthesamewayaboutWhitefoot.
ButWhitefootdidn’tknowthis,andIamafraidsheteasedhimagreatdealbeforeshetoldhimthatshelovedhimjustashelovedher.
ButatlastlittleMissDaintyshylyadmittedthatshelovedWhitefootjustasmuchashelovedherandwaswillingtobecomeMrs.Whitefoot.
SecretlyshethoughtWhitefootthemostwonderfulWoodmouseintheGreatWorld,butshedidn’ttellhimso.
Thetruthis,shemadehimfeelasifsheweredoinghimagreatfavor.
AsforWhitefoot,hewassohappythatheactuallytriedtosing.
Yes,sir,Whitefoottriedtosing,andhereallydidverywellforaMouse.
HewasreadyandeagertodoanythingthatMrs.Whitefootwantedtodo.
Togethertheyscamperedaboutinthemoonlight,huntingforgoodthingstoeat,andpokingtheirinquisitivelittlenosesintoeverylittleplacetheycouldfind.
Whitefootforgotthathehadeverbeensadandlonely.
Heracedaboutanddidallsortsoffunnythingsfrompurejoy,butheneveronceforgottowatchoutfordanger.
Infacthewasmorewatchfulthanever,fornowhewaswatchingforMrs.Whitefootaswellasforhimself.
AtlastWhitefootrathertimidlysuggestedthattheyshouldgoseehisfinehomeinacertainhollowstub.
Mrs.Whitefootinsistedthattheyshouldgotoherhome.
Whitefootagreedonconditionthatshewouldafterwardsvisithishome.
SotogethertheywentbacktoMrs.Whitefoot’shome.
Whitefootpretendedthathelikeditverymuch,butinhishearthethoughthisownhomewasverymuchbetter,andhefeltquitesurethatMrs.Whitefootwouldagreewithhimonceshehadseenit.
ButMrs.Whitefootwasverywellsatisfiedwithheroldhomeandnotatallanxioustoleaveit.
Itwasinanoldhollowstumpclosetotheground.
ItwasjustsuchaplaceasShadowtheWeaselwouldbesuretovisitshouldhehappenalongthatway.
Itdidn’tseematallsafetoWhitefoot.Infactitworriedhim.
Then,too,itwasnotinsuchapleasantplaceaswashisownhome.
Ofcoursehedidn’tsaythis,butpretendedtoadmireeverything.
Twodaysandnightstheyspentthere.ThenWhitefootsuggestedthattheyshouldvisithishome.
“Ofcourse,mydear,wewillnothavetolivethereunlessyouwantto,butIwantyoutoseeit,”saidhe.
Mrs.Whitefootdidn’tappearatallanxioustogo.
Shebegantomakeexcusesforstayingrightwheretheywere.
Yousee,shehadagreatloveforthatoldhome.
TheyweresittingjustoutsidethedoorwaytalkingaboutthematterwhenWhitefootcaughtaglimpseofaswiftlymovingformnotfaroff.ItwasShadowtheWeasel.Neitherofthembreathed.
Shadowpassedwithoutlookingintheirdirection.
Whenhewasoutofsight,Mrs.Whitefootshivered.
“Let’sgoovertoyourhomerightaway,”shewhispered.“I’veneverseenShadowaboutherebefore,butnowthathehasbeenhereonce,hemaycomeagain.”
“We’llstartatonce,”repliedWhitefoot,andforoncehewasgladthatShadowtheWeaselwasabout.
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