beast's first move, for as Peggy
advanced with extended hand to greet her aunt, Toinette made a wild dash
for the Persian cat, which onset was met by one dignified slap of the
Sultana's paw, which left its red imprint upon the poodle's nose and
promptly toppled the pampered thing heels-over-head. Tzaritza stood
watching the entire procedure with dignified surprise, and when the
yelping little beast rolled to her feet, she calmly gathered her into
her huge jaws and stalking across the room held her up to Peggy, as
though asking:

"What shall I do with this bad-mannered bit of dogdom? Turn her over to
your discipline, or crush her with one snap of my jaws?"

"Oh you horrible, savage beast! You great brute! Drop her! Drop her!
Drop her instantly! My precious Toinette. My darling!" shrieked
Toinette's doting mistress. "Peggy, how _can_ you have such a savage
creature near you? She has crushed every bone in my pet's body. Go away!
Go away!"

The scorn in Tzaritza's eyes was almost human. With a low growl, she
dropped the thoroughly cowed poodle at Peggy's feet and then turned and
stalked from the room, the very picture of scornful dignity. Mrs.
Stewart snatched the poodle to her breast. There was not a scratch upon
it save the one inflicted by Sultana, and richly deserved, as the tuft
of the handsome cat's fur lying upon the floor testified.

"I hardly think you will find her injured, Aunt Katherine. Tzaritza
never harms any creature smaller than herself unless bidden to. She
brought Toinette here as much for the little dog's protection as for
Sultana's."

"Sultana's! As though she needed protection from _this_ fairy creature.
Horrible, vicious cat! Look at poor Toinette's nose."

"And at poor Sultana's fur," added Peggy, pointing to the tuft upon the
floor and slightly shrugging her shoulders.

"She deserved it for scratching Toinette's nose."

"I'm afraid the scratch was the second move in the onslaught."

"We will not argue the point, but in future keep that great hound
outside of the house, and the cat elsewhere than in the dining-room, I
beg of you--I can't have Toinette's life endangered, or my nerves
shocked in this manner again."

For a moment Peggy looked at her aunt in amazement. Keep Tzaritza out of
the house and relegate the Sultana to the servant's quarters? What had
become of the lady of smiles and compliments whom she had known at New
London, and who had been at such infinite pains to ingratiate he