ard never had been home, she had always felt like a
stranger there; but here she had a sense of ownership, and at once
resented the presence of another small Cat. She approached this
newcomer with threatening air. The two had got as far as snarling and
spitting when a bucket of water from an upper window drenched them both
and effectually cooled their wrath. They fled, the newcomer over the
wall, Slum Kitty under the very box where she had been born. This whole
back region appealed to her strongly, and here again she took up her
abode. The yard had no more garbage food than the other and no water at
all, but it was frequented by stray Rats and a few Mice of the finest
quality; these were occasionally secured, and afforded not only a
palatable meal, but were the cause of her winning a friend.

IV

Kitty was now fully grown. She was a striking-looking Cat of the tiger
type. Her marks were black on a very pale gray, and the four
beauty-spots of white on nose, ears, and tail-tip lent a certain
distinction. She was very expert at getting a living, and yet she had
some days of starvation and failed in her ambition of catching a
Sparrow. She was quite alone, but a new force was coming into her life.

She was lying in the sun one August day, when a large Black Cat came
walking along the top of a wall in her direction. She recognized him at
once by his torn ear. She slunk into her box and hid. He picked his way
gingerly, bounded lightly to a shed that was at the end of the yard,
and was crossing the roof when a Yellow Cat rose up. The Black Torn
glared and growled, so did the Yellow Tom. Their tails lashed from side
to side. Strong throats growled and yowled. They approached each other
with ears laid back, with muscles a-tense.

"Yow-yow-ow!" said the Black One.

"Wow-w-w!" was the slightly deeper answer.

"Ya-wow-wow-wow!" said the Black One, edging up half an inch nearer.

"Yow-w-w!" was the Yellow answer, as the blond Cat rose to full height
and stepped with vast dignity a whole inch forward. "Yow-w!" and he
went another inch, while his tail went swish, thump, from one side to
the other.

"Ya-wow-yow-w!" screamed the Black in a rising tone, and he backed the
eighth of an inch, as he marked the broad, unshrinking breast before
him.

Windows opened all around, human voices were heard, but the Cat scene
went on.

"Yow-yow-ow!" rumbled the Yellow Peril, his voice deepening as the
other's rose.

"Yow!" and he adva