ever heard a woman scream,
and some of those present felt they would never forget the sound. In
the minds of most of the grown-up people there was the same unspoken
question--had the cat suddenly gone mad? Had she got hydrophobia?

They all crowded round their unfortunate guest--all but Timmy, who stood
aside with a look in which remorse, fear, and triumph struggled for
mastery on his queer little face.

And then at last, when Mrs. Crofton lay back, moaning, on the sofa,
surrounded by her distracted and horrified hosts, somebody suggested that
Dr. O'Farrell should be sent for, and Jack rushed into the hall to find
Betty already at the telephone.

Meanwhile Janet Tosswill was doing her best to persuade the victim of
Josephine's savage aggression to come upstairs and await the doctor
there; but, shudderingly, Enid Crofton refused to stir.

A slight diversion was created when Betty came in with a basin of warm
water, soap, and a sponge. Again everyone crowded round the sofa, and
Jack and Radmore both felt alarm, as well as horror, when they saw the
wounds made by the cat's claws and the cat's teeth.

While her arm was being bathed, Mrs. Crofton grew so pale that Janet
feared she was going to faint, and Rosamund was sent flying up to the
medicine cupboard to get some brandy.

Dr. O'Farrell was at home when telephoned for, but the quarter of an hour
which elapsed before he reached Old Place seemed very long to some of the
people waiting there. The doctor came in smiling, but his face altered
and grew very grave when he saw Mrs. Crofton's arm, and heard the
confused, excited account of what had happened.

To the patient he made light of the whole matter, but while someone was
putting on Mrs. Crofton's overshoes and while her evening cloak was being
brought in he moved a little aside with Jack, Mr. Tosswill, and Radmore.
None of them noticed that Timmy was hovering on the outskirts of the
group.

"I want to say," he began in a low voice, "that of course that cat will
have to be kept under observation, or else she'll have to be destroyed
and her body sent up to town to make sure of--you know what! Meanwhile,
no one must go near her. Where is she now?"

Mr. Tosswill looked vaguely round. "I think Betty took her into the
kitchen," he said slowly, and then he called out, "Betty?"

The girl came up. "Yes, father?"

"What did you do with Timmy's cat?"

"I put her back in the scullery, with her kittens. They only opened