Well , child , what do you say ? Which of us will you come with ? Remember , I have the cat on my side , and Anna ca n't make half as good turnovers as I can . Remember all this , Charlotte . '' `` Oh , I -- I like you so much , '' stammered Charlotte , `` and I wish I could live with you both . But since I ca n't , I must go with the Pretty Lady , because I promised , and because I loved her first . '' `` And best ? '' queried the Tall Lady . `` And best , '' admitted Charlotte , bound to be truthful , even at the risk of hurting the Tall Lady 's feelings . `` But I do like you , too -- next best . And you really do n't need me as much as she does , for you have your Very Handsome Cat and she has n't anything . '' `` A cat no longer satisfies the aching void in my soul , '' said the Tall Lady stubbornly . `` Nothing will satisfy it but a little girl with mouse-coloured hair and freckles . No , Anna , I 've got to have Charlotte . But I think that with her usual astuteness , she has already solved the problem for us by saying she 'd like to live with us both . Why ca n't she ? You just come back home and we 'll let bygones be bygones . We both have something to forgive , but I was an obstinate old fool and I 've known it for years , though I never confessed it to anybody but the cat . '' The Pretty Lady softened , trembled , smiled . She went right up to the Tall Lady and put her arms about her neck .
`` Oh , I 've wanted so much XXXXX be friends with you again , '' she sobbed .
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